Hussein al-Sheikh, Deputy President of Palestine, has informed the French government that the Palestinian legislative elections, which were supposed to take place on November 28, will be postponed due to the worsening conditions in the Palestinian territories. This news was published in a letter dated October 8 and signed by al-Sheikh.
Current Situation and Obstacles to Holding Elections
The letter states: "Assessments indicate that the political, security, and economic conditions under which the election date was set for November 28, 2026, have not been realized." The letter emphasizes that holding elections under the current conditions faces fundamental obstacles that affect inclusivity, freedom of participation, and the integrity of the electoral process.
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This is the first time such a decision has been made since the last elections held in 2005-2006. After that, the Islamic group Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip, and officials loyal to Mahmoud Abbas, the President of Palestine, were ousted from power. In this context, some officials from the Fatah party have called for dialogue with Hamas and other groups to reach a common national vision before holding elections.
Expectations and International Promises
The letter also mentions that Palestinian officials expected conditions to improve with the implementation of the peace plan of former U.S. President Donald Trump and United Nations Security Council resolutions. This included the deployment of international forces and Palestinian police in Gaza, disarmament of Hamas, and the withdrawal of Israeli forces. At the same time, it was expected that the United States would prevent further annexation of Palestinian territories in the West Bank and East Jerusalem and help reduce violence from settlers and free nearly $7 billion of Palestinian funds that had been halted by Israel.
However, the letter emphasizes that these actions and promises have not been realized, and conditions across the Palestinian territories have worsened. Based on their assessments, Palestinian officials advised Mahmoud Abbas to change the legislative election date by several months and continue discussions to prepare internal conditions.
This letter has been sent to the French government, which announced recognition of a Palestinian state in September 2025. Part of this decision included a call for holding legislative and presidential elections.
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