Palestinian Factions, Fatah Refuse to Hold Elections without Jerusalem

An electoral worker leaves the Palestinian Central Elections Commission's office in Gaza City (Reuters)
An electoral worker leaves the Palestinian Central Elections Commission's office in Gaza City (Reuters)
TT
20

Palestinian Factions, Fatah Refuse to Hold Elections without Jerusalem

An electoral worker leaves the Palestinian Central Elections Commission's office in Gaza City (Reuters)
An electoral worker leaves the Palestinian Central Elections Commission's office in Gaza City (Reuters)

Palestinian factions announced their support to the Fatah movement which refused to hold elections if Israel did not allow them in Jerusalem.

Member of Fatah Central Committee Hussein al-Sheikh asserted that the elections will take place, adding that Jerusalem is a major issue and “we will not sell Jerusalem for the sake of the elections.”

Sheikh told local radio that Fatah sent an official letter to Israel over two months ago, requesting permission to hold elections in East Jerusalem in accordance with the signed agreements. However, they haven't received an answer till this moment.

He asserted that the decision to hold the elections is purely Palestinian, and no one is allowed to interfere, reiterating that there won’t be elections without Jerusalem, otherwise it is “a recognition of the deal of the century, with Jerusalem as capital of Israel.”

He announced that Fatah is preparing for a single and unified national position of all Palestinian organizations and factions that confirms holding elections in all the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem.

The Secretary-General of the Palestine Liberation Front, Wasel Abu Yousef, said that holding elections in Jerusalem is of special importance, in light of the occupation’s attempts to exclude it and enforce the “deal of the century.”

Abu Yusef, who is also a member of the PLO's Executive Committee, told Voice of Palestine radio that it is not acceptable to exclude Jerusalem from the elections.

Member of the People’s Party politburo, Walid al-Awad, warned that it is not permissible to remove the city from the electoral process under any pretext, stressing that this issue is non-negotiable.

He called on the international community to pressure the occupation to prevent disrupting the elections.

On Saturday, Hamas politburo member Mohammad Nazzal said that Hamas is against postponing the elections on the pretext that they will not be allowed in Jerusalem, calling for finding suitable alternatives to hold them in a way that does not disrupt the process.

The issue of holding elections in Jerusalem remains controversial and raises concerns about canceling the long-awaited polls.

Concern began to grow among Europeans and Palestinians after Israel refused to allow the EU’s election observation missions (EUEOMS) into Palestine.

EU media official in Jerusalem Shadi Othman confirmed that Israel still hasn’t allowed the EU mission into Palestine to monitor the upcoming legislative elections.

Othman asserted that the EU supports holding elections in all Palestinian territories, including Jerusalem, to achieve a fair, transparent, and democratic process.

He urged Israel not to obstruct the process, adding that the EU believes that the agreements signed between the Israelis and the Palestinians stipulate that elections should be held in East Jerusalem.

Palestinian legislative elections are set to be held on May 22nd.


The Central Elections Commissions (CEC) announced that 36 electoral lists have submitted applications for nomination, saying it has completed the applications of all lists without rejecting any.



UN Says ‘Deliberate’ Choices ‘Systematically’ Depriving Gazans

04 June 2025, Palestinian Territories, Nusirat: Displaced Palestinians gather in a charity kitchen to receive aid amid a shortage of food, in Nuseirat refugee camp. (Belal Abu Amer/APA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa)
04 June 2025, Palestinian Territories, Nusirat: Displaced Palestinians gather in a charity kitchen to receive aid amid a shortage of food, in Nuseirat refugee camp. (Belal Abu Amer/APA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa)
TT
20

UN Says ‘Deliberate’ Choices ‘Systematically’ Depriving Gazans

04 June 2025, Palestinian Territories, Nusirat: Displaced Palestinians gather in a charity kitchen to receive aid amid a shortage of food, in Nuseirat refugee camp. (Belal Abu Amer/APA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa)
04 June 2025, Palestinian Territories, Nusirat: Displaced Palestinians gather in a charity kitchen to receive aid amid a shortage of food, in Nuseirat refugee camp. (Belal Abu Amer/APA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa)

The UN aid chief said Wednesday that recent "horrifying scenes" of Gazans being killed while seeking food aid were the result of "deliberate choices that have systematically deprived" them of essentials to survive.

A US and Israeli-backed group operating aid sites in the Gaza Strip announced the temporary closure of its facilities on Wednesday, with the Israeli army warning that roads leading to distribution centers were "considered combat zones".

The announcement by the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation follows a string of deadly incidents near the distribution sites it operates.

On Tuesday, 27 people were killed in southern Gaza when Israeli troops opened fire near a GHF aid site, with the military saying the incident was under investigation.

"The world is watching, day after day, horrifying scenes of Palestinians being shot, wounded or killed in Gaza while simply trying to eat," UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher said in a statement.

"Emergency medical teams have confirmed treating hundreds of trauma cases. Yesterday alone, dozens were declared dead at hospitals after Israeli forces said they had opened fire.

"This is the outcome of a series of deliberate choices that have systematically deprived two million people of the essentials they need to survive."

He echoed the call by UN chief Antonio Guterres for immediate independent investigations, saying they were not isolated incidents, and the perpetrators must be held accountable.

"No-one should have to risk their life to feed their children," said Fletcher.

The GHF began operations a week ago, but the UN and major aid groups have refused to cooperate with it over concerns it was designed to cater to Israeli military objectives.

Meanwhile the United Nations has described the amount of aid allowed into Gaza, after Israel partially lifted a more than two-month total blockade, as a trickle.

"We must be allowed to do our jobs: we have the teams, the plan, the supplies and the experience," said Fletcher, the UN under-secretary-general for humanitarian affairs and emergency relief coordinator.

"Open the crossings -- all of them. Let in life-saving aid at scale, from all directions. Lift the restrictions on what and how much aid we can bring in.

"Ensure our convoys aren't held up by delays and denials. Release the hostages. Implement the ceasefire."