The Palestinian Authority government decided on Tuesday to hold local elections on July 9. "The cabinet decided during its meeting today to hold local elections on Saturday 9 July and charged the electoral commission with making the necessary preparations for it," government spokesman Ghassan Khatib was quoted as saying by AFP.
Polls were originally set for July 17, 2010 but delayed after Hamas said it would not participate. Hamas on Tuesday reiterated its refusal to participate in polls run by the Palestinian Authority. Thus the elections are likely to be limited to the West Bank.
"These elections are not valid because they are called for by the Palestinian Authority and the government and are devoid of legitimacy," spokesman Fawzi Barhum said in Gaza City.
"We in Hamas will not participate in this farce and will not recognise the result of it."
