Call to delay Palestinian parliament election

The Palestinian parliament election, now set for July 17, should be delayed, a top Palestinian official said in an interview published today, a sign of growing unease in the ruling Fatah party with electoral gains made by the Islamic militant group Hamas.

The call for a delay came from Tayeb Abdel Rahim, a senior aide to Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas.

It was the strongest indication yet that Abbas might postpone the election, despite a promise to Hamas to hold the vote on time. Fatah activists have warned Abbas the party is headed for defeat if it goes to elections in July.

Fatah leaders say their corruption-tainted party has a better chance if the election is held after Israel’s withdrawal from Gaza this summer – something Abbas can claim as an achievement – and after a party convention in August would usher some younger, reform-minded candidates into key positions.

Hamas, which gained more ground in local elections last week, insists Abbas stick to the election date, part of a truce deal the two sides negotiated in March.

Abdel Rahim told the Al Quds daily in an interview that for now, no decision has been made to postpone the vote, but that there are “legal, political and national reasons” to do so.

He noted that the Palestinian parliament, controlled by Fatah, has not yet passed a new election law it has been debating for several months. “That makes it difficult to conduct elections on time,” he said.

Last month, Hamas officials said they were approached by Abbas with an offer to agree to postponing the election until the end of the year,and that in exchange they would receive jobs in the current cabinet. Hamas leaders said they rejected the plan.

In recent months, Hamas has participated in three rounds of municipal voting in the West Bank and Gaza, posing a strong challenge to Fatah.

In local elections last week, Fatah won control in a majority of 83 towns and villages. However, Hamas won the three biggest races, in the towns of Rafah, Beit Lahiya and Qalqiliya.