Hamas: We will head to local elections with list of technocrats

Hamas announced that its representatives in the upcoming municipal elections will be technocrats, many with no affiliation to the movement.

Speaking with a group of journalists in a closed meeting, Hamas’ official spokesman Salah Al-Bardaweel said: “Hamas is looking for experts to run in the municipal elections regardless of their political affiliations.”

“It is true that any state position has its political programme, but the municipal positions are related to everyday services that need experts in the different fields of life.”

Al-Bardaweel said that there is a political stagnation regarding most of the files connected to the Palestinian issue, including the relationship with Egypt, Israel and the outside world.

He said the international community has an “exaggerated impression” of Hamas’ relationship with Turkey. “We maintain good relations with Turkey and the Turkish officials, mainly the President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who is angry with the international community regarding the dismissal of Hamas’ victory in the democratic elections in 2006.”

Responding to certain Palestinian and Arabic sides who criticised Hamas’ happiness following the failed coup attempt, Al-Bardaweel said: “We were happy because the democratically elected Turkish rulers have been supporting the Palestinian cause.”