Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has announced parliamentary and presidential elections, the first in 15 years, in an effort to heal long-standing internal divisions.
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The move is widely seen as a response to criticism of the democratic legitimacy of Palestinian political institutions, including Abbas's presidency.
It also comes days before the inauguration of US President-elect Joe Biden, with whom the Palestinians want to reset relations after they reached a low under President Donald Trump.
According to a decree issued by Abbas's office on Friday, the Palestinian Authority (PA), which has limited self-rule in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, will hold legislative elections on May 22 and a presidential vote on July 31.
Palestinian factions have renewed reconciliation efforts to try to present a united front since Israel reached diplomatic agreements last year with four Arab countries.
Those accords dismayed Palestinians and left them increasingly isolated in a region that has seen allegiances shift to reflect shared fears of Iran by Israel and Sunni-led Gulf Arab states.
Hamas, the Islamist militant group which is Abbas's main domestic rival, welcomed the announcement.
"We have worked in the past months to resolve all obstacles so that we can reach this day," a Hamas statement said.
It called for fair elections, in which "electorates can express their will without restrictions or pressures".
Australian Associated Press
