Palestinians face another year without elections as Abbas postpones vote

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has postponed legislative elections from November 28 to September 11, 2027, aligning them with the presidential vote, following faction negotiations. The decision, approved by the PLO Executive Committee, came after Cairo talks among Fatah, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and the PFLP, which cited political, security, and material obstacles preventing a "free, fair, and inclusive" vote. Israeli military incursions, settler attacks, and restrictions persist in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, while Gaza faces a dire humanitarian crisis and stalled reconstruction. The Palestinian Authority also suffers financial asphyxiation due to Israel withholding tax revenues.