Hamas will hold internal elections at some point in the first half of February, Palestinian newspaper Al-Quds reported on Saturday, in preparation for the first parliamentary elections in the Palestinian Authority since 2006, to be held on May 22, and perhaps a separate election for the Palestinian Authority presidency slated for July 31.
Follow Israel Hayom on Facebook and Twitter
According to sources quoted by Al-Quds, Hamas will hold its primaries on Feb. 10. The group's desire is to open voting stations in Gaza, east Jerusalem, parts of Judea and Samaria Palestinian refugee camps abroad.
The primaries will be managed by a Hamas election committee, span a period of two months in all areas, and strive for "maximum transparency."
Officials told Al-Quds that the voting process in Gaza was expected to be the quickest because Hamas can hold elections there unimpeded. In Judea and Samaria, on the other hand, Hamas members are persecuted by PA security forces.
Hamas was also preparing for the upcoming negotiations with other Palestinian factions, chiefly Fatah, to be held in Cairo in early February, where the sides are expected to discuss their preferred election mechanism.
On Saturday, a senior PA official was quoted by London-based newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat as saying that PA President Mahmoud Abbas intends to hold the election for the PA's presidency even if Hamas does not participate. According to the official, Abbas' objective is to rehabilitate his own legitimacy.
Hamas, for its part, still hasn't decided whether to nominate a candidate to vie for the PA presidency, Al-Quds also reported.
According to the report, Hamas' leadership will discuss running for the PA presidency if the parliamentary elections indeed take place in May.
Subscribe to Israel Hayom's daily newsletter and never miss our top stories!
