Islamic Jihad to Run In Palestinian Elections
Islamic Jihad's leader in Gaza, Khader Habib, confirms to Abeer Ayyoub that his faction intends to run for the first time in Palestinian National Council elections.
Islamic Jihad has decided, for the first time, to run in the elections of the Palestinian National Council, the PLO’s parliament representing Palestinians at home and in the diaspora.
Islamic Jihad made the decision despite no final agreement on elections, which is dependent on a reconciliation deal that’s currently stalling between Hamas and Fatah.
In 2011, Palestinian factions agreed to form a temporary leadership committee for the PLO, which aims at reforming the representative body to allow factions that do not recognize Israel, such as Hamas and the Islamic Jihad, to join. Hamas and the Islamic Jihad are members in the temporary leadership committee.
Islamic Jihad’s Gaza-based leader Khader Habib told Al-Monitor that his faction decided to run for elections as it aims to be part of the PLO as a national reference for all Palestinians.
