“We are pleased that President Mahmoud Abbas has issued a Presidential decree on legislative, presidential and National Council elections in Palestine,” the Ministry said.

“We appreciate this progress made in the intra-Palestinian reconciliation process and the will to implement the agreement on elections reached during the negotiations that we hosted in Istanbul. With this decision, an important step is taken towards defending the Palestinian cause in a stronger way,” the Ministry said, adding that Turkey is ready to extend every support to Palestine for the successful holding of these elections.

The Palestinian general election will include legislative elections being held on 22 May 2021, presidential elections on 31 July and the Palestinian National Council elections on 31 August 2021.

Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (HAMAS) welcomed the announcement.

Mahmoud Abbas was elected President of the Palestinian National Authority on 9 January 2005, for a four-year term ending on 9 January 2009.

The last elections for the Palestinian Legislative Council were held on 25 January 2006.There have been no new elections either for president or for the legislature since these two elections; democratic elections in the State of Palestine since these dates have been for local offices only.