Hamas leader in the West Bank, Hasan Yousuf, has denied his movement agreed to postpone the Palestinian parliamentary elections scheduled for July 17. “No one in Hamas agreed to postpone the elections. As far as we are concerned, they will be held as scheduled,” Yousuf told The Media Line.
This denial came following a report in the London-based daily Al-Quds Al-‘Arabi, according to which Hamas has given its initial agreement to postpone the elections.
On Monday the Palestinian Central Election Commission informed Palestinian Authority (P.A.) Chairman Mahmoud ‘Abbas it will not be able to hold the elections on time due to the expected change in the elections law. According to the new law, which was approved by the Palestinian parliament and is now awaiting the chairman’s signature, 50 percent of the MPs will be elected in regional elections, and 50% in partisan elections.
Hamas, wrote Al-Quds Al-‘Arabi, agreed to the delay following intensive talks with top P.A. officials. The meetings were mediated by the Egyptian Deputy Head of Intelligence Mu’stafa Al-Bukheiri.
This will be the first time Hamas has participated in the parliamentary elections. Recently Hamas also took part in the municipal elections, where it won many seats in local councils, especially in the Gaza Strip.