The Palestinian local elections committee decided Tuesday to put of the revote of some Palestinian local elections set for Wednesday until further notice.
The committee decision followed a request made by Fatah in an attempt to defuse tension with Hamas, who threatened to boycott the local election repeats.
It seems that Fatah’s request came after a reported Hamas consent to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas request to delay Parliamentary elections until after the Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip.
Hamas, Fatah agree to delay parliamentary elections
After a long debate over the date of the Parliamentary elections, Palestinian factions meeting in Gaza agreed to delay them until after the intended Israeli pullout from the Gaza Strip.
The Supreme Joint Committee of Palestinian Organizations said the elections slated for July 17 are expected now until the end of the year.
An observation committee will be formed to oversee the elections and ensure they are conducted fairly.
On the other hand, the Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, declared earlier on Tuesday that it will not take part in the local elections repeat slated for Wednesday in some polling stations in the Gaza Strip.
Sami Abu Zuhri, spokesman of the movement in Gaza said the movement said the movement will not recognize the results of Wednesday’s elections and all the consequent procedures.
Abu Zuhri added that Hamas will advise its members and supporters not to go to the polling stations in the three major cities, elections will be repeated in.
Earlier last week, a Palestinian court ruled to cancel results of the election in around 50 polling stations in Rafah, Beit Lahia and Al-Bureij in the Gaza Strip.
Hamas originally won the vote in the three cities for the local government elections held on May 5.
Abu Zuhri said Hamas agreed with Fatah to delay the elections for at least one month, and this was made public and the high election committee was specifically informed.
However, said Abu Zuhri, "Fatah changed its mind yesterday for internal reasons". He remarked that the delay of the elections was one of the guarantees Hamas asked for in the meeting with the Egyptian security delegation.
Fatah’s retreat is an unjustified violation of the understandings they reached together and Fatah to be held responsible for the consequences.
Hamas believes that holding these elections without their participation and in violation of the agreement reached with Fatah will have negative effects on the Palestinian street.
Abu Zuhri said, Hamas called upon all other parties to intervene to put an end to "Fatah’s monopoly in running the show and to force it to provide guarantees that election will be honest and fair, including delaying the polling."
Hamas’s decision not to take part of the repeat elections does not necessarily mean not taking part in the third stage of local elections or the parliamentary elections, Abu Zuhri asserted.
"We do not run away from these elections, because we originally won them, so we do not run from our victory, but we run from counterfeiting the elections and confiscating Hamas’ victory" Abu Zuhri said.
