Allowing Palestinians in East Jerusalem to join polls urged
Published : 19 Mar 2021, 00:56
Palestine has already asked Israel to allow the Palestinians in East Jerusalem to participate in the upcoming general elections, according to a senior Palestinian official on Thursday, reported Xinhua.
Hussein al-Sheikh, Palestinian minister of civil affairs, said in a statement that the Palestinian side has officially addressed the Israeli government on the issue.
Earlier this month, another Palestinian official, who declined to be named, told Xinhua that Palestine had sent an official letter to Israel on holding the general elections in the Palestinian territories.
The official said the letter included a request to allow holding the elections in East Jerusalem, adding that Palestine is waiting for Israel's official response.
Earlier on Thursday, the Israeli media reported that during a visit to Germany, Israeli President Reuven Rivlin said Israel hasn't received any Palestinian request to hold the elections in East Jerusalem.
"Israeli President Rivlin's remarks are not true," al-Sheikh said.
"We have received an official Israeli response that the Israeli side won't give any answer before the parliamentary elections scheduled in Israel next week," the Palestinian minister added.
In January, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announced the 2021 general elections will include the legislative elections on May 22, the presidential elections on July 31, and the elections of the Palestinian National Council, the highest decision-making body of the Palestine Liberation Organization, on Aug. 31.
The Palestinians insist on holding the elections in all the Palestinian territories, including the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
On Wednesday, leaders of 14 Palestinian factions agreed in Egypt's capital Cairo that the general elections should take place in these places.
The Palestinians in East Jerusalem participated in the last presidential and legislative elections held in 2005 and 2006.