At the time, Hamas seized the Gaza Strip, leaving Abbas with autonomous enclaves in the Israeli-controlled West Bank. Fatah officials said their candidates were being denied rights to compete.
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The Palestinian Central Election Committee announced that the parties should suspended campaigning following the court ruling to postpone.
“The elections can’t take place in Jerusalem and its neighbourhoods”. Also, there are problems with the formation of courts in Gaza …
The election would have been the first involving Hamas and Fatah since the 2006 poll for the Palestinian Legislative Council, in which Hamas won a majority. From the start it would have been hard to hold the election given this situation. There was confusion among Palestinian leaders and media over when the Palestinian high court might hear arguments over how the elections can proceed, with some suggesting a hearing could be held later this month and others saying the court would not do so until December.
Fatah blamed Hamas for the legal dispute. Hamas militants have used underground tunnels to attack Israelis.
Fatah party members and Arab nations including Saudi Arabia and Egypt pressed Abbas to cancel the balloting to prevent a Hamas victory, said Jehad Harb, a researcher at the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research in Ramallah.
“We hold Hamas fully responsible for foiling the election, starting with the unjustified petitions it filed”, Fatah spokesman Osama Al-Qawasmi said, according to Reuters.
More than anything, the stand-off underscores just how divided Palestinian politics has become.
Rajoub, also known as Abu Rami, was previously head of Palestinian security in the West Bank and is a leading contender to replace Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas when he steps down from his role.
Will Hamas participation in West Bank elections mend political rift?
If Abbas were to die in office, it is unclear how Palestinian politics would proceed.
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During a 2014 war, Hamas militants managed on several occasions to make their way into Israel through their tunnel network, though they did not reach nearby civilian areas.
