Palestine Says Israel Trying to Cancel Palestinian Elections

Ramallah, MINA – Israel is trying to pressure Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to cancel this year’s elections, a Fatah leader said on Monday.

“Israel is trying to pressure us and prevent legislative and presidential elections under flimsy arguments that serve only Israeli interests,” Hussein al-Sheikh, a member of the Fatah Central Committee, told local radio Alam Palestine.

Al-Sheikh said that Nadav Argaman, head of Israel’s Shin Bet local security service, also asked the Palestinian authorities to cancel the vote.

“We will go forward [to vote] at any risk,” said al-Sheikh.

“This is our decision and our choice, which is decided only by the Palestinian Authority, not anyone else,” he said.

There was no comment from Israel on the report.

On Friday, Israel’s Channel 13 reported that Argaman had met Abbas last week and conveyed a strong warning from Israel to him regarding three issues.

These issues are related to the Palestinian Authority’s efforts to push for an investigation into Israel at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, the Fatah group’s intention to advance in elections with Hamas in the Palestinian legislative elections and the agreement to form a unity government between Fatah and Hamas.

According to the Israeli channel, an American delegation had secretly approached the Palestinian Presidency and delivered a similar warning.

Palestine will hold legislative elections on May 22 and presidential elections on July 31 after a 15-year hiatus. (T/RE1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)