Abbas declares state of emergency following elections deferral Hamas – the Gaza Strip-based terrorist group that would have faced off against Abbas’s Fatah party – accused Abbas of perpetrating a “coup” against their partnership.
The decision to delay what would’ve been the first Palestinian election in 15 years sparked protests
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas declared a 30-day state of emergency in the Palestinian Authority.
While the announcement follows the leader’s decision last week to indefinitely postpone what would have been the first Palestinian elections in 15 years, such declarations have become routine during the coronavirus pandemic.
Following the postponement, Hamas – the Gaza Strip-based terrorist group that would have faced off against Abbas’s Fatah party – accused Abbas of perpetrating a “coup” against their partnership.
Protests against Abbas immediately flared both in Ramallah and in Gaza City.
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While the leader cited the tense situation in East Jerusalem as the pretext for calling off the vote, critics have said that the 85-year-old’s decision is due rather to his unwillingness to submit to the electoral process.
EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell described the deferment as “deeply disappointing.”
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