Palestinians Sign Deal to Set Up Elections
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The New York Times
by Fares Akram, Jodi Rudoren - May 20, 2012 - 12:00am

JERUSALEM — The rival Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah signed an agreement late Sunday in Cairo that paves the way for elections and a new unity government for the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, officials said. The Cairo agreement comes three and a half months after a broader reconciliation pact was signed by the leaders of the two factions in Doha, Qatar, and a year after they first reached a unity accord.

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Abbas amends election law by decree
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
May 18, 2012 - 12:00am

RAMALLAH (Ma’an) -- President Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday issued an executive order amending the 2005 election law as a precursor to holding a municipal vote sooner than scheduled, an official said. The minister of local governance, Khaled Qawasmi, told Voice of Palestine radio that the decree would help the new government take a decision to hold elections "as soon as possible." He added that the law would allow holding an election in more than one stage in case more than a day was needed.

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Palestinians to hold municipal elections without Hamas' Gaza
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua
May 17, 2012 - 12:00am

RAMALLAH, May 17 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas issued a decree to hold local elections in the West Bank, excluding the Gaza Strip where his rival Hamas movement holds sway, a Palestinian official said Thursday. The decree authorizes the reshuffled government, which was sworn in on Wednesday, to hold the municipal elections in stages, said Khaled Al-Qawasmi, minister of local governing.

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Is a Palestinian revolt against Mahmoud Abbas brewing?
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from The Telegraph
by Adrian Blomfield - (Analysis) May 4, 2012 - 12:00am

It was meant to be a day of catharsis and rejoicing, marking the fulfilment of a visionary government strategy to end years of debilitating political cleavage and create a formidable platform to challenge Israel's occupation. But instead of going to the polls as they were promised this Friday, Palestinians are remaining at home, betrayed once again by bickering leaders whose quarrels have contributed to an increasingly dangerous sense of malaise across the West Bank and Gaza.

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Hamas to Elect New Leadership for the Militant Palestinian Group This Month
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press
April 4, 2012 - 12:00am

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — An official from the militant Hamas group that rules Gaza says the Islamic Palestinian movement will start choosing its secretive, decision-making council and its administrative leadership this week. The official said on Wednesday that the process should be completed by the end of the month. All Hamas members can vote for the Shura Council, which in turn elects the administrative leadership, known as the politburo. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to discuss the issue with the media.

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Mishal sole candidate for Hamas presidency –sources
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Asharq Alawsat
April 4, 2012 - 12:00am

Occupied Jerusalem, Asharq Al-Awsat – A well-informed source within the Hamas movement informed Asharq Al-Awsat that the internal elections for the Hamas Shura Council and Political Bureau are expected to take place within the next two weeks. The source revealed that in the first phase, members of local Consultative Councils are selected, who in turn vote for the Hamas Shura Council, which ultimately elects the movement’s administrative leadership, the Hamas Political Bureau.

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Palestinian Leader Drops Key Threat to Dismantle Government
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Associated Press
March 29, 2012 - 12:00am

RAMALLAH, West Bank — Foreign diplomats say President Mahmoud Abbas has dropped a planned threat to dismantle his autonomy government to protest the deadlock in peace efforts with Israel. Abbas had been planning to deliver the threat in a letter to Israel. But, according to a copy of the letter obtained Thursday by The Associated Press, the language has been dropped from the text. The diplomats who provided the letter said Abbas scrapped the threat at the urging of President Barack Obama. The diplomats spoke on condition of anonymity because the letter has not yet been sent.

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Court Rejects Appeal Against Abbas Premiership
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Ma'an News Agency
March 28, 2012 - 12:00am

RAMALLAH (Ma’an) -- The Palestinian Constitutional Court in Ramallah on Tuesday rejected a legal challenge to President Mahmoud Abbas' appointment as prime minister of a national unity government. Fatah leader Abbas and Hamas chief Khalid Mashaal agreed in Qatar last month that the president will lead an interim cabinet to prepare for fresh elections and end divided governments in Gaza and the West Bank. PLO central council member Abdul-Jawwad Salih submitted a legal challenge to the appointment on the grounds that it is unconstitutional.

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U.S., Jordan Urge Abbas to Refrain From Threats to Dismantle Palestinian Authority
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Haaretz
by Barak Ravid - March 12, 2012 - 12:00am

Over the last several weeks, the Palestinian issue has been pushed to the margins of both the Israeli and world media’s attention, as well as to that of the diplomatic agenda. The massacre in Syria, the presidential elections in Russia and the increasing tension with Iran captured the attention of Washington, the UN and Western Europe.

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PLO calls on election commission to prepare for elections
ATFP World Press Roundup Article from Xinhua
March 8, 2012 - 1:00am

RAMALLAH, March 7 (Xinhua) -- Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) on Wednesday called on the Central Elections Commission (CEC) to start preparing for holding the general elections in the Palestinian territories. The CEC should begin the process of registration of voters in Gaza and the West Bank, the PLO executive committee said in a statement issued after a meeting held in Ramallah and chaired by President Mahmoud Abbas.

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