On Tuesday, the government of Prime Minister Salam Fayyad announced that it was planning to set a date for the municipal elections in its meeting next week.

The announcement came after the Palestinian High Court of Justice in Ramallah ruled that the decision to call off the elections was illegal and ordered the Palestinian government to hold the vote.

On Tuesday, Fayyad suggested holding general elections in West Bank and Gaza Strip "as soon as possible to reunify the two parts of homeland and its institutions."

Fayyad added in an interview with the Palestinian television that "the date of holding local and general elections will be fixed this year."