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Palestinian electoral body unable to organize polls

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-11-12 22:39

RAMALLAH: The Palestinian Central Elections Committee (CEC) said Thursday it is unable to organize polls which President Mahmoud Abbas has decreed for January 2010.

"We have informed the president that we can't hold the elections on their scheduled time," said Hanna Nasser, the CEC director.

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In a press conference held in Ramallah, Nasser accused the Islamic Hamas movement, which controls the Gaza Strip, of putting obstacles to prevent the elections from taking place.

"Hamas has rejected to receive the committee in its official capacity in Gaza to prepare for holding the elections," Nasser said.

Abbas has called for presidential and parliamentary elections to be held on Jan. 24, 2010 in a bid to end internal split and restore Palestinian unity after Hamas rejected an Egyptian proposal to settle the differences.

The political split in the Palestinian territories resulted from Hamas' seizure of Gaza by force in 2007. Since then, Abbas has consolidated its rules in the West Bank.

Hamas, which won the parliamentary elections in 2006, said it can not allow voting to take place unless the national and political unity is restored.