West Bank (Palestine Foundation Information Center), The Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas has strongly criticized and rejected statements suggesting a possible postponement of Palestinian Legislative Council elections, stressing that the elections must be held on schedule. Meanwhile, Hamas, along with several Palestinian factions and national forces, has categorically rejected measures based on appointments, exclusion and unilateralism under the pretext of restructuring the Palestinian National Council.
Elections Delay Is Absolutely Unacceptable: Hamas
Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said in a statement that indications from some Palestinian Authority leaders about postponing the elections demonstrate that the Authority continues to treat the election issue as a political tool in pursuit of narrow factional and partisan interests.
He stressed that it is completely unacceptable for the political system of the entire Palestinian people to be held hostage to the will of a limited number of individuals. He recalled that this opportunistic approach has resulted in presidential and Legislative Council elections not being held for many years, while elections to the Palestinian National Council, the Palestine Liberation Organization’s highest policy-making body, have never been held.
Hazem Qassem called on all Palestinian national forces to unite in order to prevent the Authority’s leadership from exploiting public sentiment and sabotaging the electoral process.
Joint Statement Rejects Formation of National Council Through Appointments
Meanwhile, Hamas, the Islamic Jihad Movement, the Reformist Current within Fatah, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine – General Command, the Palestinian National Initiative, the Resistance Committees and several other major Palestinian factions issued a joint political statement.
The statement strongly protested the reported start of a process to appoint members of the National Council through specific electoral gatherings held in some Arab countries outside Palestine, describing the move as a clear rejection of the fundamental principles of participation and democracy.
Key Points of the Joint Position
Appointments vs. Elections: The factions categorically rejected appointments, exclusion and unilateralism under the pretext of restructuring the Council, stressing that such a process does not guarantee genuine representation of the Palestinian people as a whole.
National Trust: The Palestinian National Council does not belong to any individual, faction or political group. Rather, it is a comprehensive national framework representing Palestinians in their homeland and throughout the diaspora.
Demand for a Transparent System: The factions stressed that all Palestinians, both inside and outside Palestine, have the fundamental right to elect their representatives through a transparent and fair system based on proportional representation.
Leadership Responsibility: The statement held the current PLO leadership and administrative institutions directly responsible for all negative political and national consequences of this unilateral process. It called for the immediate halt of the process and a return to comprehensive national reconciliation and dialogue.
The Palestinian factions reaffirmed that, at this critical national juncture, when the Palestinian people as a whole are facing Israeli aggression, forced displacement and what they described as a holocaust, efforts should focus on unifying Palestinian ranks rather than deepening divisions through attempts to take control of national institutions and pursue unilateral measures.
