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Palestinian PM Calls on Hamas to Allow Local Elections

Palestinian fishermen in Gaza (AFP)
Palestinian fishermen in Gaza (AFP)
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Palestinian PM Calls on Hamas to Allow Local Elections

Palestinian fishermen in Gaza (AFP)
Palestinian fishermen in Gaza (AFP)

Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh called on Hamas to allow municipal elections to take place in the Gaza Strip, but the movement rejected his invitation, saying the elections are indivisible.

Speaking at the weekly cabinet meeting in Ramallah, Shtayyeh called on Hamas to allow the municipal elections on December 11 in their first phase, provided that the second phase is completed before the end of the first quarter of next year.

Earlier, the government issued a decision to hold local elections in two phases, the first on December 11 for Areas C in the West Bank, and the second phase in the first quarter of 2022 for Areas A and B.

The first phase is supposed to occur in 387 local authorities, while the second phase will occur in 90 major towns and cities.

Local elections are held every four years, but Hamas has prevented them in Gaza since it took control over the Strip in 2007.

Fatah won the majority during the last municipal elections in the West Bank in 2017-2018 after Hamas boycotted them.

The Executive Director of the Central Elections Commission, Hisham Kahil, said that holding local elections in Gaza requires political approval, noting that they are awaiting the cabinet's decision.

In 2017, the government held the elections in the West Bank only after it was unable to obtain Hamas' approval for Gaza.

The last elections held jointly between the West Bank and Gaza were in 2004 and 2005, over three phases. The Authority then announced that it wanted to hold elections in 2010 and 2011, which never happened. Elections were later held in 2012 and 2017 without the participation of Hamas.

Hamas reacted angrily to the government's announcement of the date of local elections, signaling that it would prevent the polls from taking place in Gaza.

Hamas official Mohammad Faraj al-Ghoul said that the elections are indivisible and that any vote must be part of national consensus.

Hamas believes that a unilateral step regarding the local elections and ignoring the national consensus, which necessitates holding the local, legislative, and presidential elections, is an attempt to circumvent the Palestinians' legitimate rights.

The movement warned that any step taken by the government without implementing what was agreed upon nationally is a failed attempt and “deepens the dictatorship.”

The legislative and presidential elections were supposed to occur in the Palestinian territories between May and July, but Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas canceled them after Israel banned them in Jerusalem.

Fatah, the government, and other factions are pressuring Hamas to allow elections in Gaza.

Member of the Palestine Liberation Front politburo Sufian Matar said Hamas obstructs the constitution by rejecting the polls.

Matar called on the movement to allow the elections to take place regardless of its participation.

Saleh Nasser, a member of the Democratic Front politburo, also called on Hamas to participate in the local elections and remove obstacles to holding them as a democratic and natural right for all.

Hamas is not expected to respond to the movement's calls, especially as it requests a precise date for the general elections, but the Authority did not heed the demand.

Local elections are politically significant because they can prove the factions' popular strength and dominance.

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Arab World

Muted Responses to Deadly Houthi Escalation and Rising Insurance Costs

The Greek ship Magic Seas sank in the Red Sea as a result of Houthi attacks (Reuters). 
The Greek ship Magic Seas sank in the Red Sea as a result of Houthi attacks (Reuters). 
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Muted Responses to Deadly Houthi Escalation and Rising Insurance Costs

The Greek ship Magic Seas sank in the Red Sea as a result of Houthi attacks (Reuters). 
The Greek ship Magic Seas sank in the Red Sea as a result of Houthi attacks (Reuters). 

As the Houthi threat to international shipping grows ever more serious - most recently with the sinking of two Greek vessels, killing three sailors and leaving twelve missing - there has been little substantial reaction from major world powers. The United States, Germany’s foreign minister, and the UN envoy to Yemen were among the few to voice concern and call for de-escalation.

While Houthi attacks intensify across the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea, insurance premiums for commercial ships in these waters have surged to as much as 1% of a vessel’s value, according to leading global insurers. This underscores the scale of the risk and the declining confidence in protecting this vital maritime corridor.

The two assaults targeted the cargo ships Magic Seas and True Confidence between Sunday and Tuesday last week. According to the EU naval mission Aspides, tasked with safeguarding Red Sea navigation, the attacks killed at least three sailors, wounded others, and left a dozen unaccounted for.

The strike on the Liberian-flagged Greek-operated True Confidence marked a dangerous escalation. The Houthis claimed responsibility, saying they used an explosive-laden drone boat and six ballistic and cruise missiles. They alleged the ship was heading to Israel’s port of Eilat, though independent verification was lacking.

Despite the scale of the violence, most global capitals limited their responses to brief statements. Only the US ambassador to the UN issued a pointed condemnation, along with remarks from a State Department spokesperson and a statement by UN envoy Hans Grundberg.

The US denounced the attacks as “terrorist and unjustified,” describing them as evidence of the “ongoing threat posed by Iranian-backed Houthis to regional maritime security and commerce.” The US ambassador stressed Washington’s commitment to denying the Houthis resources to fund such operations and called on the UN Security Council to remove obstacles blocking its expert monitoring teams in Yemen.

The State Department likewise condemned the attacks as a threat to the freedom of navigation and economic stability. “We will continue to take necessary steps to protect commercial shipping,” the statement warned, urging the broader international community to condemn the Houthis’ actions.

Germany’s Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said Iran must use its influence to halt Houthi attacks. Speaking in Vienna alongside his Israeli and Austrian counterparts, he declared: “We strongly condemn these attacks and expect Iran to act to stop them.”

UN envoy Grundberg expressed deep concern about the sinking of True Confidence, warning of the humanitarian and environmental consequences of such operations, which violate international law and Security Council Resolution 2722. He urged the Houthis to provide sustainable guarantees to end attacks and build on prior understandings with the United States.

Oman had brokered a limited agreement last May under which the Houthis pledged to stop targeting American ships in return for a suspension of broad US-led military action - though the deal excluded Israel.

A Dangerous Precedent

Yemeni officials say the tepid reactions from much of the world send the Houthis the wrong message, reinforcing their sense of impunity. On Thursday, Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi boasted in his weekly address about sinking the vessels, calling it a “clear lesson” to any shipping company doing business with Israel.

Since November 2023, the Houthis have carried out over 150 attacks, disrupting global trade flows through the Red Sea. Their operations have sunk British and Greek ships and damaged many more, including hijacking the Galaxy Leader and holding its crew for over a year.