GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh said Nov. 14 that a national consensus has been reached for holding Palestinian elections, after Hamas said Nov. 10 that it approved of holding presidential and legislative elections in the West Bank, Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip.

In a letter sent to all Palestinian factions Nov. 4, Abbas required written approvals from the factions on the seven points he put forth in order to issue a presidential decree on the date of the Palestinian general elections. The majority of the factions, including Hamas, handed over their approvals to the Central Elections Commission.

Abbas’ conditions include that the elections be based on the Basic Law, that the legislative elections be based on the law of full proportionality, that all Arab and international parties be invited to oversee the electoral process, that the presidential decree should include the elections’ specific dates, that a national dialogue be held following the issuance of the decree in a bid to successfully hold the elections and that the results be respected.

The Palestinian factions’ written approvals were sent in after visits by the elections commission delegation, which met with the different factions in the West Bank and Gaza Strip from Oct. 28 through Nov. 11, where views on the elections, technical details and procedural and legal measures were discussed.