Abbas rejects Qatar proposal to hold elections

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas (R) meets with Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani (L) during his official visit in Doha, Qatar on 8 August, 2018 [Qatar News Agency Handout/Anadolu Agency]

Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas had rejected a Qatari proposal to hold general elections, Felesteen.ps reported a senior official saying.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that Qatar made the proposal during Abbas’ most recent visit to Doha.

According to the sources, Qatar promised Abbas it would put pressure on Hamas to accept its proposal, which included parliamentary, presidential and National Council elections.

Abbas refused the proposal citing the need to the PA to take over governance of Gaza.

Qatar understood that holding the elections is “impossible”, the news site reported.

Read: Israel ignites war over Abbas’ successor

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