UN envoy urges parties to maintain calm after postponing Palestinian elections
Jerusalem (QNN)- The UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Tor Wennesland called all parties to maintain calm, show restraint and refrain from violence after postponing elections in Palestine.
“I take note of the Palestinian leadership decision to postpone Legislative Council elections scheduled for May 22. I fully understand the disappointment of the many Palestinians who have so clearly expressed a desire to exercise their democratic rights after nearly 16 years without elections,” Wennesland said in a statement.
“Recognizing widespread international support, I encourage Palestinians to continue on the democratic path.”
Wennesland said that the holding of transparent and inclusive elections throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including in East Jerusalem “as stipulated in prior agreements remains essential for renewing the legitimacy and credibility of Palestinian institutions and opening the path to re-establishing Palestinian national unity.”
“This will also set the path toward meaningful negotiations to end the occupation and realize a two-State solution based on UN resolutions, international law and previous agreements,” he added.
“Setting a new and timely date for elections would be an important step in reassuring the Palestinian people that their voices will be heard.”
Wennesland stated that the United Nations reaffirms its support to strengthening the Palestinian national institutions.
The UN also called on all parties to maintain calm, show restraint and refrain from violence, and urged leaders on all sides to take steps to reduce tensions, and create the conditions for a resumption of the electoral process.
President Mahmoud Abbas on Friday delayed planned parliamentary elections amid a dispute over voting in East Jerusalem and splits in his Fatah party.
Abbas blamed the occupation state for uncertainty about whether it would allow the legislative election to proceed in Jerusalem as well as in the occupied West Bank and Gaza.
‘Israel’ has yet to say whether it would allow voting by mail there as in past elections and has enforced a ban on Palestinian Authority activities, including campaign events.
President Mahmud Abbas said that legislative, presidential and National Council elections would be held in the coming months, as part of a warming of ties between Fatah and Hamas.
The elections are supposed to be held under decree issued by President Mahmoud Abbas in three stages: the legislative on May 22, the presidential elections on July 31, and the elections for the National Council on August 31.
The last Palestinian elections for the Legislative Council were held in 2006, and Hamas won the majority, while presidential elections were held in 2005, and President Abbas won.
