GAZA CITY, 13 May 2005 — Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qorei said yesterday there were no plans to postpone the July 17 Palestinian Legislative Council elections.
Qorei spoke after Tayeb Abdel Rahim, a senior aide to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, was quoted in the Al-Quds daily as saying the elections could be delayed for a variety of reasons.
Abdel Rahim said as the Council had not yet passed a new election law that it had been debating for several months, it would be difficult to hold the elections on time. On Tuesday, the Council failed to pass the amended Palestinian election law on third reading. A number of Palestinian lawmakers have called for delaying the legislative elections. Jamal Al-Shobke recently called for postponing the elections until the Israeli government implemented what it called the unilateral disengagement plan on Aug. 15. He said this would deprive the Israeli government of any excuses for not going ahead with its planned Gaza and West Bank pullbacks.
Hamas quickly rejected the call. It urged the Egyptian government to intervene and pressure the Palestine Authority to hold the elections on time. The group said in statement: “The movement rejects the voices that call for the postponement of the elections and calls on the PNA to commit to what was agreed upon at the Cairo talks.” The statement said that a delay will not be in the interest of the Palestinian people.
Fatah activists have warned Abbas the party is headed for defeat if it goes to elections in July. Polls show Palestinian voters are fed up with corruption and inefficiency in the Palestinian government. Without Yasser Arafat’s charisma and standing, Abbas could lead his Fatah Party to a poor showing, further eroding his ability to carry out reforms and rein in militants.
— Additional input from agencies
