Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas may decide to delay the upcoming legislative elections scheduled for July 17 for few months due to lack of preparations, Israeli sources reported.
The Central Election Committee has declared earlier on Monday that poll cannot be held on time due to lack of preparations.
Such a delay might mount tension between Fatah and Hamas who strongly oppose any delay in these elections.
Fatah had implicitly expressed concerns that Hamas might win these elections especially after their strong showing in the local elections, held in January and May of this year.
In its announcement, the election committee said it would need at least two months, from the time a new election law is ratified, to prepare for the vote.
"The Palestinian election committee understands that the Palestinian factions are looking for a law that is suitable for all, but the committee would like to say that it needs two months, after the ratifying the law, to prepare for the elections, and a new presidential decree to cancel the former one," the committee said in a statement.
The committee also added that it could carry out elections on time based on the old law, not the new one. It called on Abbas to issue a presidential decree with a new election date as soon as possible.
Hamas, on the other hand, has accused the ruling Fatah party of using logistics as a pretext to delay the election.
