Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Calls First Parliamentary Elections in Nearly Two Decades

Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas has announced parliamentary elections for the first time in nearly two decades, setting November 28 as the date for the long-delayed vote.

The election date was announced through a presidential decree issued on Thursday as part of efforts to restore the democratic legitimacy of Palestinian institutions amid sustained international pressure for political reforms.

According to the decree, the elections are scheduled to be held simultaneously across all Palestinian territories, including the occupied West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem. If conducted as planned, the vote will mark the first Palestinian parliamentary election since 2006.

The last legislative election was held in 2006, when the Islamist movement Hamas defeated Abbas's Fatah party in a surprise victory. The outcome deepened political divisions between the two rival factions.

In 2007, following months of violent clashes, Hamas seized full control of the Gaza Strip, while the Fatah-led Palestinian Authority continued to govern parts of the occupied West Bank. Since then, the Palestinian territories have remained politically divided under separate administrations.

According to Al Jazeera's Ramallah correspondent Noor Odeh, the election announcement follows years of diplomatic efforts and international pressure aimed at reforming the Palestinian Authority and restoring its democratic mandate. The United States, the European Union, and other Western governments have repeatedly urged the Abbas administration to hold long-overdue elections.

Despite the announcement, analysts say significant obstacles remain. They argue that reaching a political agreement between Hamas and Fatah and organizing a free and credible nationwide election by November will be difficult given the ongoing regional conflict and instability in Gaza.

Another major challenge is whether Israel will allow Palestinians in East Jerusalem to participate in the vote, an issue that has complicated previous election plans and remains a key source of uncertainty.