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Fatah: Abbas is our 'sole candidate' in elections

Mahmoud Abbas Reuters Palestinian Authority (PA) chairman Mahmoud Abbas is Fatah's "sole candidate" in the coming presidential elections, Fatah announced in an official statement on Saturday, according to the Xinhua news agency.

Abbas is also the chairman of Fatah's Central Committee and the chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Executive Committee.

Fatah's announcement was made in a meeting held in Ramallah chaired by Abbas' deputy Mahmoud al-Aloul.

The meeting called on Abbas not to wait and rush for issuing a presidential decree that would set up a date for holding the elections in PA-assigned territories.

The PA parliament has not met since 2007, when Hamas violently seized control of Gaza from Abbas’ Fatah faction.

Hamas and Fatah have been at odds since that 2007 coup and all attempts to reconcile the warring sides have failed.

Abbas' term as PA chairman was meant to expire in 2009 , but he has remained in office in the absence of elections.

In his recent speech at the UN General Assembly, Abbas renewed a pledge to hold fresh parliamentary elections, but he has made similar pledges in the past and failed to go through with elections.

Tags: Fatah , Mahmoud Abbas , PA elections