Major Palestinian factions have rejected a new memorandum sent out by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas outlining preconditions for a general election for the Palestinian parliament.
As yet, the sides have yet to sit down and agree to hold a free and fair election and abide by its results.
A copy of the memo was obtained by the Lebanese newspaper Al-Akhbar, which is identified with Hezbollah. According to Al-Akhbar, neither Hamas nor the Islamic Jihad wants to see an election under conditions spelled out in a 2007 Palestinian law, the most important one is that any candidate must recognize the PLO as the only legitimate representative of the Palestinian people and honor all agreements the organization signed (including the Oslo Accords with Israel).
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Hamas and the Islamic Jihad say the move is designed to exclude a number of factions, mainly themselves, that have adopted a stringent stance against the PLO and the Fatah movement's dominance in the organization.
Al-Akhbar also reported that Hamas had asked Hanna Nasser, chairman of the Palestinian Central Election Committee, to "send Abbas a message to reconsider his conditions, because they include things that officials have not agreed to."
Hamas also pointed out that there were seven Palestinian movements other than the PLO, which are not obligated to any agreements reached by the PLO.
"Hamas has sent Abbas a positive response about its desire to hold elections that include the entire Palestinian people," sources said.
The report comes on the heels of contradictory statements by Fatah officials about whether Abbas plans to stand for re-election when and if elections take place. On Monday, senior Fatah official Jibril Rajoub told Palestine TV that Abbas would not run for re-election.
Rajoub's announcement contradicted Hussein al-Sheikh, who recently said that Abbas was Fatah's only candidate in the next presidential election.
"President Abbas is the only candidate of Fatah and honorable Palestinians," stated Sheikh.
"Let us make him the sheikh of the tribe and the spiritual father of the democratic process," said Rajoub. "In two months, President Abbas will celebrate his 85th birthday."
In a speech in September at the annual UN General Assembly, Abbas said he would call for "general elections" in the West Bank, Gaza and east Jerusalem.
Abbas is currently in the 14th year of a four-year term.
Parts of this article were reprinted with permission from JNS.org.
