Palestinian Interior Minister Nasser Youssef announced on Monday that armed factions will not be allowed to be present around the ballots during Wednesday’s parliamentary elections.
Youssef told a press conference held in the national security headquarters in the Gaza City that Palestinian security forces are the only authorized forces to protect the ballots on the Election Day.
"No Palestinian armed activists will be allowed to get close to voting stations, even if he wants to cast his vote or he is guard of a political or resistance figure," said Youssef.
He also revealed that Palestinian factions rejected last week a proposal by the ministry, which called for an arms-free election day and prohibited resistance fighters from carrying weapons inside the voting stations.
The Interior Ministry has announced the highest state of alert till Wednesday and the alert will continue till the election results are announced, according to Youssef.
In addition, Youssef warned that if there is any Israeli military escalation in the West Bank during the elections, Palestinian security troops would immediately respond.
Palestinian voters will cast ballots in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem on Wednesday to choose a new 132-seat parliament in their second ever legislative elections.
