Palestinian Elections Commission Ready For Gaza Vote After 20 Years

GAZA CITY, Oct 8 (NNN-Sputnik/RIA Novosti) -- The Palestinian Central Elections Commission is ready to hold parliamentary elections in the Gaza Strip despite technical challenges, reported Sputnik/RIA NOVOSTI.

Jamil al-Khaldi, the electoral body’s regional director in Gaza, said the vote would be the first such election in two decades.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas issued a decree in July calling for parliamentary elections to be held on November 28.

The upcoming elections will be the first since the Hamas movement won a majority in parliament in 2006.

“The Central Elections Commission has experienced staff in the Gaza Strip who are fully ready to hold elections as scheduled in late November,” al-Khaldi said.

He pointed to a number of logistical challenges related to the delivery of ballot boxes, ink and ballot papers, but said the Commission had alternative solutions.

The nomination and registration of parliamentary candidates are currently underway.

The election campaign will begin later, the Palestinian official said, adding that the Elections Commission has received eight voting lists containing the names of the candidates.

--NNN-SPUTNIK/RIA NOVOSTI