Palestinian government calls municipal elections for July 17; Hamas likely to object

Palestinian municipal elections set for July 17

RAMALLAH, West Bank — The Palestinian government in the West Bank has announced plans to hold municipal elections on July 17.

It will be the first election in the Palestinian territories since the Islamic militant Hamas wrested control of Gaza from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in 2007, leaving the Western-backed president in control only of the West Bank.

Monday’s Cabinet statement says elections would also be held in Gaza, but it’s unlikely Hamas would agree.

Hamas was not immediately available for comment.

Presidential and legislative elections were to have taken place in January, but are on hold indefinitely because of the political split.

The municipal elections are seen as a low-risk popularity test for Abbas’ Fatah movement.