Abbas issues law for elections in West Bank

The Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas gave a strong push for holding elections, issuing a decree which allows for elections to take place in the West Bank. This came after Palestinian officials considered that they view the law as valid, only in so far as the process will take place simultaneously in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Hamas, has stated several times that it rejects running local elections in Gaza. Taher al-Nunu, the spokesperson of the Gaza based government,  said Thursday that any local, legislative or presidential elections must be preceded by a consensus government. The central elections commission says that it wants to update the register of voters in Gaza, something Hamas rejects, which will impede the running of the elections. In a similar context, Fatah has said that it considers the interference of Hamas in the affairs of the central commission, as an assault on democracy and that it affects the integrity and impartiality of the elections process. Fayez Aita, the spokesperson for Fatah, said in a press statement that the central elections commission is trusted by all political powers, especially as its formation came according to a presidential decree which include all Palestinian factions, including Hamas. Aita denounced Hamas's demand for restructuring the commission. He added that the commission has proven its impartiality and integrity in previous electoral processes, through which it gained the respect and admiration of the Palestinian people and the international community. The spokesperson called on the commission to continue its work with professionalism and efficiency, and without paying attention to unjustified interventions.