After Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called for general elections during his speech at the United Nations on Sept. 26, Palestinian factions, led by Fatah and Hamas, started drawing up plans in this regard both at home and abroad.
On Nov. 11, Hamas announced that the head of its political bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, phoned Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to brief him on the developments of the upcoming elections. Haniyeh stressed Hamas’ position to overcome obstacles in the elections and called for holding them in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem. Erdogan expressed satisfaction with the Palestinian position toward the elections.
A day earlier, Erdogan met in Ankara with a Hamas delegation, led by former head of the movement’s political bureau Khaled Meshaal, head of Hamas in the Palestinian diaspora Maher Salah and head of the movement's international relations department Mousa Abu Marzouk. They discussed developments in the Palestinian cause, and expressed appreciation for Erdogan's pro-Palestine stance.
That same day, Abbas phoned Erdogan to review the developments of the Palestinian cause. Abbas praised Turkey's stance in support of the Palestinian cause, stressing the importance of holding elections in East Jerusalem, the West Bank and Gaza. Erdogan also stressed the importance of holding these elections, promising to make efforts to ensure their success.
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