Mahmoud Abbas Postpones Palestinian Elections Again, Extending Rule Without Votes For Over Two Decades

Having been elected to what was intended as a four-year term more than twenty years ago, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has once again delayed legislative elections, pushing back the opportunity for voters to choose a new parliament by nearly two decades.

According to the official Palestinian news agency WAFA, President Abbas signed a decree on Friday, postponing the Palestinian Legislative Council elections from next month until September 11, 2027. Presidential elections, which have not been conducted since Abbas’s 2005 victory, are also slated for the same date.

This repeated postponement enables Palestinian leaders to maintain their grip on power without facing public scrutiny, further undermining the credibility of the Palestinian Authority. The authority has already faced significant criticism regarding internal corruption and its security coordination with Israel.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas attends the inauguration ceremony of the Innovation and Excellence Compound in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahmoud Illean)

The Palestinian Authority, which is dominated by Abbas’s Fatah party, governs portions of the West Bank under agreements established during the 1990s.

Palestinian officials cited challenging conditions across the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem as grounds for delaying the elections. The Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), led by Abbas, claimed that Israel had prevented election materials and international observers from entering Gaza, according to The Associated Press.

An Israeli army vehicle patrols along the border with the northern Gaza Strip, seen from the Israeli side in southern Israel on Jan. 16, 2026. (Amir Levy/Getty Images)

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar rejected these assertions, accusing Abbas of attempting to deflect blame for the election delay.

“Abbas’s attempt to drag Israel into this by falsely claiming that Israel placed obstacles in the way of holding elections is yet another ridiculous lie designed to evade responsibility and accountability,” Saar wrote on X.

In the meantime, Hamas welcomed the postponement, describing it as “a step in the right direction” and calling for further discussions on rebuilding Palestinian institutions before holding any future elections.

The last legislative elections held by Palestinians occurred in 2006, resulting in a majority victory for Hamas. Subsequently, Israel and Western nations boycotted the Hamas-led government, leading to internal unrest that culminated in Hamas seizing control of Gaza in 2007.

Since then, Hamas has maintained control over Gaza, while Abbas’s Fatah-dominated Palestinian Authority has governed parts of the West Bank.

The postponed elections also threatened to present new challenges to Abbas’s leadership. Prior to the delay, Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and a faction led by Mohammed Dahlan—a former Fatah security chief who fell out with Abbas—had been discussing an unlikely political alliance.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas holds leadership meeting in Ramallah, in the West Bank, April 23, 2025. (Reuters/Mohammed Torokman)

“Abbas is terrified of the electoral alliance bringing our faction together with opposition factions and internal Fatah forces that reject his leadership,” Dimitri Dilliani, a spokesperson for Dahlan’s faction, stated.

This decision comes as the future role of the Palestinian Authority in Gaza remains uncertain under a U.S.-brokered ceasefire plan established last year.

The plan envisions the authority eventually playing a role in Gaza, though its immediate responsibilities remain unclear. Hamas continues to govern the territory, while a committee of Palestinian technocrats remains in Cairo, awaiting permission to enter Gaza and oversee a transition of power.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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