Gaza, June 11: The Palestinian Authority has delayed local elections scheduled for July 17 without setting a new date for the vote, which was boycotted by Hamas.
Officials of acting Palestinian Authority Chief Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah Party say the decision was made by the cabinet in the West Bank on Thursday.
Palestinians say that the move showed a division among members of Fatah party over a unified list of candidates.
The cabinet, which is dominated by Fatah members, did not explain the reason behind the decision.
“What’s happening inside Fatah is that there are people who are running against each other. We need some time in order to solve these internal problems,” a senior Fatah member told Reuters on condition of anonymity.
Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, has refused to recognize the authority of Abbas since his four-year term expired in January 2009.
——-Agencies