A senior leader of the Palestinian Hamas resistance movement has emphasized the necessity of the upcoming general elections in the besieged Gaza Strip, the East Jerusalem al-Quds, and the occupied West Bank, saying the movement is seeking to “restore unity and end the division at all levels” among Palestinians. RNA - Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas’ Political Bureau chief, made the remarks during a speech he delivered at a press conference in Gaza City on Sunday, saying there was a national consensus on holding the planned general elections.
“The upcoming elections could push Palestinians out of the current deadlock and restore unity and strengthen the resistance front against the occupation,” Haniyeh said, adding, “Hamas will respect the results of the elections, and our Palestinian people are aware of their choices and we are not worried about the options of the ballot box.”
“We work with responsibility and power to put an end to divergences and achieve national reconciliation and establish a political system based on the principle of partnership,” Haniyeh further said.
He also said that Palestinian resistance groups and forces were working to implement a project of national liberation front to “expel Israeli occupiers” and to regain Palestinian national rights throughout the Palestinian territories.
Elsewhere in his remarks, Haniyeh insisted that the results of the elections had to be respected, because the 2006 elections were marred by domestic and foreign opposition.
“What is important to us is to take a clear and firm stance on the election results and accept them,” he said.
ccording to Press TV, General elections are held throughout Palestine and include the presidential elections, which choose the head of the Palestinian Authority — an office currently held by President Mahmoud Abbas — and parliamentary elections or the Legislative Council elections.
No fixed date for holding the general elections has been announced yet.
Last month, President Abbas delegated the head of the Central Elections Commission Hanna Naser to hold meetings with Palestinian factions to prepare for parliamentary elections.
In September, Haniyeh warned that the Israeli regime was seeking rifts among Palestinians and Palestinian resistance groups to distract them from their main priorities.