EU in contact with Israel over polls in Jerusalem

ANKARA

The EU representative in Palestine on Wednesday confirmed the union's support for efforts by the Palestinian authorities to hold elections next month in all Palestinian territories, including in Jerusalem, Palestine’s state media reported.


Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas received EU representative Sven Kuhn Von Burgsdorff at the presidential headquarters in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, according to Wafa news agency.


Two sides discussed the latest developments regarding Palestinian legislative elections slated for May 22.


“EU is continuing its intensive contacts with the Israeli side to hold the elections in occupied East Jerusalem, as was the case in the previous elections,” Burgsdorff said.


Abbas underlined the importance of the EU’s ongoing efforts to pressure the Israeli government to allow Palestinian elections in occupied Jerusalem in line with deals inked between the two sides under international auspices.


Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh on Monday said the Palestinian leaders will convene on April 29 to discuss Jerusalem’s participation in the upcoming elections.


The UN and EU members of the UN Security Council have recently released statements calling on Israel to allow Palestinians to vote across all of the Palestinian territories.


According to a presidential decree in January by President Abbas, Palestinians are scheduled to vote in legislative elections on May 22, presidential polls on July 31, and National Council polls on Aug. 31 after a gap of 15 years.


Palestinians residing in East Jerusalem took part in previous elections conducted in 1996, 2005, and 2006.


International law views both the West Bank and East Jerusalem as occupied territories and considers all Israeli settlement-building activity there illegal.