Palestinian Source: Israel Refuses Entry of Election Committee to Gaza and Jerusalem

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A responsible Palestinian source stated today, Tuesday, that the Israeli government has refused to allow the Palestinian Central Elections Commission to enter the Gaza Strip and the city of Jerusalem to follow up on the preparations for the Palestinian legislative elections scheduled for November 28.

The source added that the Israeli refusal would hinder the work of the elections committee in two areas of the Palestinian territories, while the committee continues its preparations to conduct the electoral entitlement according to the announced timetable.

So far, there has been no official Israeli position regarding what the Palestinian source reported.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas issued a decree last July setting November 28, 2026, as the date for the legislative elections and called on voters in Jerusalem, the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip to participate.

The Central Elections Commission confirmed its readiness to carry out the electoral process, stating earlier that its plan includes holding elections in Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, in addition to the West Bank.

It also called on the international community to support the electoral process and to pressure for the removal of obstacles that prevent it from performing its duties in various Palestinian territories.

The upcoming legislative elections come as part of a path to resume the Palestinian electoral process, after years of stalled general elections.

The Palestinian electoral arrangements stipulate the participation of voters in Jerusalem, the Gaza Strip, and the West Bank.

The participation of Jerusalem holds special importance, as the mechanism for conducting elections there is linked to arrangements outlined in the transitional agreement signed between the Palestine Liberation Organization and Israel in 1995.

According to the Central Elections Commission, the special arrangements for East Jerusalem include voting at a number of Israeli post offices, based on the arrangements that were implemented in previous Palestinian elections.

The commission also indicates that Israeli authorities have previously imposed restrictions on its electoral activities in Jerusalem, including closing registration centers and preventing commission staff from working in the city.

The elections commission is currently continuing to implement the stages of the electoral process, having begun the nomination procedures last September, amid preparations to complete the requirements related to the voting scheduled for November.

The number of members of the Legislative Council, according to the recent amendments to the election law, is 132 members.

The Palestinian presidential elections are scheduled to take place at a later date during the first quarter of 2027, according to the presidential decree issued regarding the elections.