9 electoral lists apply to contest Palestinian legislative elections

The number of electoral lists seeking to contest Palestinian legislative elections scheduled for Nov. 28 rose to nine Wednesday after the Central Elections Commission received a new application.

The commission said the ninth application was submitted by the “Palestine for All” list.

It stressed that submitting an application does not mean a list has been accepted or formally registered. Applications undergo review and verification under the law and the commission’s procedures.

The commission began accepting applications Sept. 26, with the registration period set to close Oct. 13.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas issued a decree July 9 scheduling legislative elections Nov. 28 in occupied East Jerusalem, the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

The vote would be the first Palestinian legislative election since 2006.

Palestinian Vice President Hussein al-Sheikh told journalists Aug. 2 that an alternative would be pursued if voting were prevented or obstructed in Gaza or any part of the Palestinian territories.

That alternative would involve forming the Palestinian National Council by consensus, he said, citing the Palestine Liberation Organization’s status as the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.

About 2.97 million Palestinians are eligible to vote, including 1.59 million in the West Bank, 1.24 million in Gaza and 140,000 Jerusalem identity card holders.

The last legislative elections gave Hamas a majority of seats. A political split with Fatah followed, with the Palestinian resistance group taking control of Gaza about a year later while the Fatah-led Palestinian Authority remained in the West Bank.

The Palestinian Legislative Council has been inactive since 2007. The Supreme Constitutional Court ordered its dissolution in 2018.