Palestinians are back to the polls for the first time in fifteen years, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announced on Friday. The parliamentary elections will take place on May 22nd, with the presidential elections on July 31st.
A few months ago, rival parties Fatah, of which Abbas is a member, and Hamas had already agreed to hold new elections.
Abbas was elected president in 2005. The radical Islamic Hamas did not participate in the elections at the time. In the parliamentary elections in 2006, Hamas won a big victory, further exacerbating divisions between Palestinians.
A year after the last elections, there was even an armed conflict, in which Hamas conquered the Gaza Strip. Hamas is still the dominant group in that isolated Mediterranean coastal region bordering Israel and Egypt. Fatah, on the other hand, is more present in the West Bank.
The talks between the rivals would have received new impetus when Israel concluded peace agreements with the Arab countries Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates, with the help of US President Donald Trump. This led to discontent among the Palestinians, who feel betrayed.
The Palestinians want to strengthen ties with the United States with the arrival of Joe Biden, who will be sworn in as the new US president next week. The bond had actually deteriorated during Trump’s presidency.
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