This time, it appears serious. On Dec. 10, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announced that all Palestinian factions had agreed to hold elections for the Palestinian presidency and legislative council. The voting will likely take place in February 2020. Abbas has yet to issue a presidential elections decree, but the Palestinian Authority (PA) has already formally asked Israel to allow residents of East Jerusalem to participate in the elections. Israeli officials confirmed they had received the request, saying the diplomacy-security Cabinet would discuss it, probably next week.

Will Abbas keep his promise and for the first time in 13 years hold democratic elections for the presidency and parliament, even though these could result in defeat and an end to his rule? Let us not forget that in 2006, the last time elections were held, Abbas’ Fatah movement was vanquished by the rival Hamas organization.

Many in Israel wondered this week what made Abbas announce elections so resolutely. What, in fact, is the point of elections for the legislative council and PA presidency given that the split between the West Bank and the Gaza Strip is practically a done deal and the leader of the PA does not have a foothold in Gaza?

Hamas and the smaller Palestinian Islamic Jihad each hold in Gaza armed militias. Together they number tens of thousands of combatants equipped with Iranian weapons and ammunition. These two groups will surely not accept the terms that Abbas outlined in the past for unifying Gaza and the West Bank in adherence to the principle of “one law, one weapon, under one authority.” At the same time, Abbas’ rivals in Gaza are negotiating with Israel over a long-term truce, which, if finalized and implemented, would be regarded as a tremendous achievement affirming a form of recognition of their sovereignty over the enclave.