RAMALLAH, Oct. 6 (Xinhua) -- The Israeli government has declined permits for Palestinian Central Elections Commission (CEC) teams to enter Gaza and East Jerusalem to monitor preparations for legislative elections, the Palestinian News and Information Agency (WAFA) reported Tuesday.
Citing an official Palestinian source, WAFA said the move could complicate efforts to hold the elections simultaneously in the three Palestinian areas.
Israel's refusal comes as the CEC prepares to complete technical arrangements for the upcoming legislative elections on Nov. 28. The status of East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip has raised questions over whether the elections can be held on schedule with the participation of all Palestinian areas.
A Palestinian source familiar with the matter told Xinhua earlier that failing to hold elections in East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip at the same time as in the West Bank would lead to a postponement of the elections.
The participation of East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip is a key issue in holding Palestinian elections. Tensions between Hamas and Fatah since 2006 have led to political and geographical divisions between the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, preventing regular elections from being held for years.
East Jerusalem, meanwhile, was captured by Israel in the 1967 Middle East war and later annexed, a move not recognized by the majority of the international community.
The source added that a delegation from Fatah will begin comprehensive talks with Palestinian factions in Cairo to reach an agreement on arrangements for holding the elections and to discuss the restructuring of the Palestinian National Council. ■
