PA announces timeline for 2017 local elections

The Palestinian Authority (PA) Central Elections Commission yesterday announced a timeline for local elections in 2017 across the occupied West Bank and besieged Gaza Strip.

The Fatah-dominated PA had announced at the end of last month that local elections would be scheduled for 13 May in both the West Bank and Gaza, a move which Hamas rejected.

According to the CEC’s Arabic website, the voter registration process will begin on the morning of 25 February and extend for five days.

Following the registration process, candidacy applications will be open for ten days from 28 March to 6 April and the preliminary list of candidates will be made public on 9 April.

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On 29 April, a final list of candidates will be made public and campaigns will start. Campaigns are set to finish on 11 May, two days before the projected election day on 13 May.

According to a statement from the Palestinian Ministers Council, elections will be conducted as an “attempt to end national conflict and unite Palestinians in accordance with the law and to pave the road towards holding presidential and legislative elections.”

Executive Director of CEC Hisham Kheil told Ma’an earlier this month that the election process will likely require $8 million.

Both Hamas and Islamic Jihad have rejected the decision to hold elections with Hamas calling for elections to be held after national reconciliation is achieved.

“Elections should take place after ending disagreements, achieving reconciliation, and uniting Palestinian institutions, including the political, judicial, and security levels,” Hamas spokesman Hazem Qasim said.

PA Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah encouraged Hamas to participate in the elections during a meeting with the Palestinian-European joint committee in Ramallah, when he announced that the date of elections would be determined.

He also urged Hamas to accept PA President Mahmoud Abbas’ initiative to form a national unity government in order to pave the way towards future presidential and legislative elections.

Municipal elections set to be held in October were postponed following a controversial decision by the Fatah-run Supreme Court in Ramallah.