Hamas, Islamic Jihad and other Palestinian groups, in a joint statement issued on Sunday, demanded that President Mahmoud Abbas convene an urgent meeting of the secretaries-general of all groups to launch national dialogue and pave the way for comprehensive elections.
Prominent groups including the Palestinian National Initiative, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command also signed the statement. It stressed the importance of Abbas taking this step to launch "a comprehensive national dialogue that will establish political partnership and open the way for Palestinian elections."
Referring to the last agreement reached in Beijing on the national reconciliation process, the groups stated that "the interim unified leadership framework is the only reference capable of managing this critical stage, strengthening national partnership, and ensuring the functioning of institutions." In July 2024, a meeting of 14 Palestinian groups in Beijing, China's capital, had agreed on the goal of a "comprehensive national unity" under the umbrella of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) embracing all parties.
The statement said that Palestinian national unity and political partnership are the only way to repel the "war of annihilation and plans to liquidate the Palestinian cause," calling on all parties to assume the highest level of responsibility. It also stressed that any step towards rebuilding and developing Palestinian national institutions "must be based on comprehensive national consensus and inclusive dialogue," noting that this approach would consolidate the legitimacy of institutions, tighten ranks, and entrench the understanding of partnership that is the guarantee of protecting the national project.
The joint statement also warned against external pressures or impositions, highlighting the dangers of "any attempt to restructure the Palestinian political system to respond to external interventions." The statement did not provide details on this matter but clearly conveyed the message of rejecting any form of foreign interference in Palestinian internal affairs.
The latest call came about two weeks after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas amended the general election law on June 14. Under the changes, Abbas increased the number of Legislative Council members from 132 to 200, lowered the age limit for candidacy from 28 to 23, and mandated at least one woman for every three candidates on electoral lists. The regulations were seen as preparation for upcoming legislative and national elections.
The Legislative Council, which holds an important place in Palestinian politics, was last elected in 2006, but was dissolved and deactivated by Abbas in 2018. The council's work had effectively come to a standstill after the political division that began with Hamas taking control of Gaza in 2007.
On February 2, Abbas issued a decree calling on Palestinians inside and outside the diaspora to hold elections for the Palestinian National Council on November 1, 2026. The National Council, considered the highest body of the PLO, has the authority to determine the organization's policies, plans and programs.
Finally, in their joint statement, the Palestinian groups pointed to the need to uphold the supreme national interest and tighten ranks, calling for a joint struggle against projects targeting Palestinians such as "forced displacement, ethnic cleansing, annexation and the liquidation of national rights."
The Palestinian arena has been facing a crisis since 2007, entailing both political and geographical division. This rift between the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip and the West Bank, run by Fatah under Abbas, has deepened further due to the heavy human and political toll of Israel's attacks on Gaza since October 8, 2023, which have caused massive destruction.
