Palestinian PM says no official decision to postpone elections

Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei denied Saturday remarks that the legislative elections due on July 17 will be postponed.

"The legislative elections will be held on its decided time. There is no official or national decision to postpone them," Qurei told reporters.

Qurei's denial came in response to statements by chief of the Palestinian Presidency Tayeb Abdel Rahim that the legislative elections "must be postponed for the sake of the Palestinians."

Abdel Rahim told the Al-Quds daily Thursday that there were legal reasons to postpone the elections.

He argued the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) has yet to convene on the third and final reading of a new electoral law. Under Palestinian law, a new electoral law has to be passed three months before the election day.

"The law conditions make it difficult to hold elections on time and I think that the elections should be postponed for a while," he said.

The July 17 parliamentary elections will mainly pit the mainstream Fatah movement led by Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas and Hamas, a radical militant group sworn to Israel's destruction.

Hamas has indicated readiness to participate in the elections, the first of which it boycotted in 1996.

Source: Xinhua