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Young man waves flag of
Palestine.
After the
postponement of the Palestinian Legislative Council
elections, originally scheduled for 22 May, a senior UN
official in the region on Friday urged the authorities to
set a new date for heading to the polls.
UN
Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process,
TorWennesland,said that he understood the
“disappointment of the many Palestinians”whohad
gonenearly 16 years withoutbeing able to cast their
vote.
Palestinian President Mahmoud
Abbasannounced the postponement of the planned
parliamentary elections, amidst a dispute over voting rights
in Israeli-annexed East Jerusalem, according to news
reports.
Israel governs voting conditions in the city,
Palestinians blame Israel as parliamentary, presidential elections delayed
By Rami Ayyub, Ali Sawafta and Nidal al-Mughrabi
Reuters
JERUSALEM (Reuters) -Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Friday postponed planned elections amid a dispute over voting in Israeli-annexed East Jerusalem and divisions in his Fatah party.
Abbas announced the postponement of parliamentary elections due on May 22, and a senior Palestine Liberation Organization official later confirmed that it extended to the presidential ballot planned for July 31.
The 85-year-old president blamed Israel for uncertainty about whether it would allow the Palestinian election to proceed in Jerusalem as well as in the occupied West Bank and Gaza.
The United Nations
After the postponement of the Palestinian Legislative Council elections, originally scheduled for 22 May, a senior UN official in the region on Friday urged the authorities to set a new date for heading to the polls.
UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Tor Wennesland, said that he understood the “disappointment of the many Palestinians” who had gone nearly 16 years without being able to cast their vote.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announced the postponement of the planned parliamentary elections, amidst a dispute over voting rights in Israeli-annexed East Jerusalem, according to news reports.
#UN Envoy @TWennesland takes note of postponement of #Palestine Legislative elections. Understands the disappointment of many Palestinians. “Setting a new & timely date for elections would be an important step in reassuring the Palestinian people that their voices will be heard.” pic.twitter.com/NUjKNimnH7