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Will the Palestinian Election Decree Produce Actual Elections?
(Washington Institute for Near East Policy) Ghaith al-Omari - On Jan. 15, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas issued a decree calling for legislative elections on May 22 and presidential elections on July 31. This is not the first time that such calls have been floated. An election that brings Hamas back inside or atop the PA system could jeopardize Abbas' objective to reestablish relations with the U.S. Jordan and Egypt also regard Hamas with great suspicion and have expressed their misgivings about elections. Poor governance and nearly universal perceptions of corruption have dramatically undermined the PA's domestic legitimacy. Washington should therefore look into leveraging aid in a manner that fosters PA institutional reform. The writer is a senior fellow at The Washington Institute.