RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) — A top aide to President Mahmoud Abbas says the Palestinians will hold presidential and legislative elections by September.
The move appeared to be a response to the popular protests that drove Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to step down late Friday.
Elections were supposed to have been held last year, but the vote was put off because of the split between Abbas’ government in the West Bank and the rival Hamas regime in the Gaza Strip.
Hamas rose to power in Palestinian elections in 2006. Both sides have been cool to holding a new vote.
