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Hamas agrees to hold municipal elections in Palestinian territories

Xinhua, July 15, 2016 Adjust font size:

Islamic Hamas movement which rules the Gaza Strip announced Friday that it agrees to join and hold municipal elections in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

Hamas, in a statement, affirmed its keenness to rearrange the Palestinian home and boost the principle of partnership.

"In this delicate stage that our people and our cause pass through, the movement sees a necessity and importance to hold the local elections in the West Bank and Gaza Strip," it said.

The last municipal elections were held in the Gaza Strip in 2005, two years before the Islamic movement's violent control of the coastal enclave following weeks of infighting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah Party.

However, the municipal elections were held regularly in the West Bank that is under the control of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), while Hamas prevented holding the vote in the Gaza Strip.

"Hamas is concerned to respond to the people's free will through the ballots in order to improve and develop the services provided to our people," said the statement.

Hamas reiterated that called for holding the presidential and the legislative elections in the Palestinian territories.

The presidential elections have not been held since Abbas won in 2005 and so the parliamentary elections since Hamas won a vast majority in the Palestinian parliament in 2006. Endit