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Israel-Palestine-Jordan
Abbas calls for early PA elections
2007-07-19
Ineffectual Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas announced Wednesday that he was working toward holding early parliamentary and presidential elections and said there would be no dialogue with Hamas until the Islamist movement ended its violent "coup" in the Gaza Strip.

Speaking to reporters in Ramallah after meeting with EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana, Abbas said the PLO central council was expected to endorse the idea during its meeting over the next 24 hours. Abbas did not say when the elections would be held, but some PA officials in Ramallah said the vote could be held before the end of the year.

Abbas's announcement came amid growing tensions between Fatah and Hamas in the West Bank. On Wednesday, PA policemen used force to disperse demonstrators in Nablus who were protesting against the arrest of Hamas supporters and activists in the city by Abbas's security forces. "When the PLO central council takes a decision regarding early elections, I will have the authority to issue a decree calling for holding new elections," Abbas said.

Even if Abbas calls early elections, it's unlikely that the vote will also be held in the Gaza Strip. Hamas officials have made it clear that they won't accept early elections under the current circumstances.
Posted by:Fred

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