# Palestinian Authority President Abbas decrees first Palestinian legislative elections since 2006, set for November 28 > Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas issued a presidential decree on July 9 setting November 28, 2026, as the date for legislative elections under proportional representation, the first since 2006; Hamas has not yet responded, Israel has not said whether it will allow voting in East Jerusalem, and Gaza's governance status remains unresolved **Meta:** type: event · date: 2026-07-09 · heads: Who Decides, What They're Not Saying · 9 takes · 6 lenses · 7 regions ## Summary [Mahmoud Abbas](/en/entity/mahmoud-abbas), president of the [Palestinian Authority](/en/entity/palestinian-authority), issued a presidential decree on July 9 setting November 28, 2026, as the date for Palestinian legislative elections under proportional representation, which would be the first such vote since 2006. The Palestinian Legislative Council has been effectively suspended since [Hamas](/en/entity/hamas) won those elections and took control of [Gaza](/en/entity/gaza-war) in 2007. Key unresolved issues include whether Hamas will participate, whether [Israel](/en/entity/israel) will permit voting in East Jerusalem as required under the Oslo framework, and how Gaza's governance will be handled given the ongoing war. The PA cited international pressure and its own post-Gaza legitimacy needs as driving the announcement; US and European donors have pressed for Palestinian institutional reform as a condition for reconstruction funding. ## The split Palestinian outlet Al-Quds focused on the procedural obstacles, particularly East Jerusalem voting rights, framing the decree as significant but contingent. Asharq Al-Awsat and Al Jazeera treated the announcement as a genuine governance step, with Gulf-aligned coverage emphasising PA authority. Time's US context placed the announcement inside donor politics, arguing the PA is building legitimacy in anticipation of a reconstruction role in Gaza. Middle East Monitor emphasised Hamas's absence from the process and the legal uncertainty around the PA's power to hold elections under a suspended legislature. ## By the numbers - 2006, year of the last Palestinian legislative elections, which Hamas won - 20 years, the gap since Palestinians last voted for a legislature - November 28, 2026, the decree date; 143 days from the decree - 2007, year the Palestinian Legislative Council was suspended after Hamas seized Gaza ## Why it matters The decree is primarily a legitimacy move by Abbas ahead of any post-war settlement in Gaza. Whoever controls Palestinian elections controls who can claim authority over reconstruction, donor money, and ultimately governance of a post-war strip. [Israel](/en/entity/israel)'s response to Jerusalem voting and Hamas's decision on participation will determine whether the elections actually happen, making both veto players with strong incentives to block a vote that would complicate their own positions. ## What to watch - Hamas's formal response to the decree, particularly whether it will register candidates - Israel's statement on East Jerusalem voting access - Whether the US and EU formally endorse the November 28 date and tie it to aid conditions - Any court challenges within the Palestinian Authority to the decree's legal basis ## Regional takes (batched by bias / lens) ### UK-based pro-Palestinian monitoring outlet - **Middle East Monitor** (United Kingdom, en) — Middle East Monitor reported the decree as a potential turning point but led with the obstacles: it noted Hamas has not confirmed participation, the Palestinian Legislative Council has been suspended since 2007, and the PA's legal basis for holding elections without a new electoral law is disputed by some factions. > "Abbas issued a presidential decree setting Nov. 28, 2026, as the date for legislative elections, the first in more than 20 years." Source: https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/20260709-abbas-sets-nov-28-for-1st-palestinian-legislative-elections-in-more-than-20-years/ ### Pan-Arab establishment, Saudi-aligned - **Asharq Al-Awsat (English)** (Saudi Arabia, en) — Asharq Al-Awsat cited the presidential decree text and WAFA news agency, reporting proportional representation as the electoral system; the outlet treated the announcement as a genuine governance step while noting that 'significant obstacles' remained, consistent with Gulf-state interest in Palestinian institutional stabilisation. > "Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas issued a decree on Thursday setting legislative elections for November 28, which if held would be the first since 2006." Source: https://english.aawsat.com/arab-world/5294142-palestinian-legislative-vote-set-nov-28-presidential-decree ### Gulf state, Arabic-media flagship, editorially sympathetic to Palestinian cause - **Al Jazeera (English)** (Qatar, en) — Al Jazeera described the announcement as Abbas declaring the first legislative vote in 20 years, emphasising the symbolic weight of the decree; the channel did not detail Hamas's stance or Jerusalem voting rights in its initial report, consistent with its framing of the PA as legitimate authority. > "Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announces first legislative elections in 20 years." Source: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/7/9/palestinian-legislative-elections-set-for-november-28 ### Jerusalem-based Palestinian daily, East Jerusalem and diaspora readership - **Al-Quds** (Palestine, ar) — Al-Quds, the leading Palestinian newspaper of record, led with the proportional representation system and the specific unresolved question of East Jerusalem's participation, noting that Israel's position on permitting voting in Jerusalem would be the primary practical hurdle; the paper also named debates around Palestinian diaspora inclusion. > "Abbas sets Nov. 28 under proportional representation; discussions around East Jerusalem's participation and diaspora voting remain unresolved." Source: https://www.alquds.com/en/posts/249414 ### US editorial establishment, context-heavy explainer format - **Time** (United States, en) — Time ran an explainer framing the announcement against the backdrop of Gaza's post-war governance vacuum, arguing the PA wants to establish electoral legitimacy before any Gaza reconstruction role, and noting US and EU pressure on the PA to demonstrate democratic credentials as a condition for donor support. > "The Palestinian Authority is set to hold its first legislative elections in 20 years in late November, but significant obstacles remain, including whether Hamas will participate and how Gaza will be governed." Source: https://time.com/article/2026/07/10/palestinian-authority-elections-gaza-west-bank-east-jerusalem-israel-explainer/ ### unlabelled - **Countercurrents** (India, en) — Source: https://countercurrents.org/2026/07/first-palestinian-elections-in-20-years-set-for-november/ - **ANI** (India, en) — Source: https://aninews.in/news/world/middle-east/palestinian-president-abbas-declares-nov-28-as-date-for-first-legislative-elections-since-200620260710111950/ - **TBS News** (Bangladesh, en) — Source: https://www.tbsnews.net/worldbiz/middle-east/palestinian-president-abbas-sets-legislative-elections-november-1484436 - **New Kerala** (India, en) — Source: https://www.newkerala.com/news/a/palestinian-president-abbas-declares-nov-28-as-date-813.htm ## Across the graph - Related: [[iran-irgc-gulf-strikes-jul9]], [[eu-west-bank-settlement-trade-ban-jul9]] - Entities: Mahmoud Abbas, Palestinian Authority, Hamas, Israel, Gaza War --- Canonical: https://rbtfl.xyz/en/n/plo-elections-decree-nov28