Egyptian intelligence chief, Palestinian vice president discuss elections, national unity

Ahmed Khalifa and Rania Abushamala

Egyptian General Intelligence Service chief Hassan Rashad discussed Palestinian developments, including upcoming elections and efforts to restore national unity, with a delegation headed by Palestinian Vice President Hussein al-Sheikh on Sunday.

The Palestinian Authority delegation also included Palestinian National Council Chairman Rawhi Fattouh and intelligence chief Majed Faraj, Egypt’s state-run Al-Qahera News channel said.

The meeting was held in Egypt as part of Cairo’s efforts to promote Palestinian reconciliation, the broadcaster said, without specifying the location.

The meeting addressed developments in the West Bank and the upcoming Palestinian electoral milestones, the channel said, adding that the two sides agreed to coordinate national efforts to confront the challenges facing the Palestinian cause.

The meeting came a day after al-Sheikh said Palestinian legislative elections would be held as scheduled, noting that an alternative plan was available should voting prove impossible.

Speaking to Palestinian journalists in Ramallah on Saturday, al-Sheikh said if elections could not be held, including because voting was prevented or obstructed in the Gaza Strip or any other part of the Palestinian territories, the alternative would be to form the Palestinian National Council through national consensus.

He described the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) as the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.

On July 9, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas issued a decree setting Nov. 28 as the date for legislative elections in occupied East Jerusalem, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. They would be the first Palestinian legislative elections since 2006.

Legislative and presidential elections scheduled for 2021 were canceled after Abbas postponed them, citing Israel’s refusal to guarantee the participation of Palestinians in occupied East Jerusalem.

Relations between the Fatah and Hamas movements have been marked by political division since 2007, despite numerous rounds of dialogue and reconciliation agreements mediated by Arab and international parties.