PLO demands simultaneous elections in Gaza, West Bank, and East Jerusalem

The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Executive Committee has expressed its determination to hold parliamentary elections simultaneously across East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip. This follows a decree by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to schedule the elections for November 28, marking the first general election since 2006.

During a meeting in Ramallah, the committee emphasized that simultaneous voting is a fundamental requirement for the electoral process. The PLO called upon the United Nations and the international community to urge Israel to cease actions that obstruct the elections. Additionally, the committee requested international observers to monitor all stages of the voting process in the occupied territories.

The announcement comes amid ongoing conflict; since October 2023, Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip have resulted in over 73,000 Palestinian deaths and significant infrastructure destruction. There has also been a reported increase in military raids and attacks in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.