On Saturday, Palestinian officials say that the Palestinian Authority (PA) had scheduled negotiations with groups to form a national unity government following the delay of elections.
PA spokesperson Nabil Abu Rudeineh informed the official Palestine Radio that the path after delaying the polls “is to hold talks with the factions, a national unity government, strengthen the role of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and to hold a meeting for the Central Council to set policies and strategies”.
The Central Council is a body affiliated with the PLO’s National Council that includes all Palestinian factions except Hamas and Islamic Jihad groups. “Talks will be with all factions. Dialogues started yesterday, and efforts are underway,” Abu Rudeineh said without providing further details.
Meanwhile, the PLO’s Executive Committee member Ahmed Majdalani informed that “talks will take place within a few days with all groups to form a national unity government”.
Majdalani added that in recent days, both Fatah and Hamas groups discussed the issue of forming a government and the postponement of the elections.
On Friday, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas issued a decree to postpone the Palestinian elections, citing Israel’s negative response to permit polls in East Jerusalem.
