When Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas told the UN General Assembly Sept. 29 that he “will call for general elections in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and Jerusalem" and "hold those who object to the elections accountable to God, the international community and history,” few expected that elusive election to take place. There are still many obstacles, but it appears that Abbas had some justification to make this bold call.

The traditional thinking has always been focused on the need for national reconciliation as a prerequisite to elections. But according to a senior adviser to the president, Nabil Shaath, the elections themselves will help usher in reconciliation by means of creating an elected national unity government. “The idea combines democratic and pluralistic principles. It will not be the winner takes all but a representative government based on election results. Once a unity government is established with all parties in it, we can move to the next step of presidential elections,” Shaath told Arab News Sept. 29.

Upon his return to Palestine, Abbas set up committees to help prepare for the elections and asked the head of the Central Elections Commission, Hana Naser, to go to Gaza Oct. 7 to assess the reactions of Hamas and other factions. While some criticized Abbas for seeking the help of a technocrat like Nasser, the reactions of Hamas and others were positive.

Anees Sweidan, head of foreign relations at the PLO, told Al-Monitor that Hamas expressed readiness to participate in elections, but is withholding final agreement until a decree. “Now we await a presidential decree regarding an election law with the goal to first set dates for parliamentary elections, to be followed within three months by presidential elections.”