RAMALLAH/GAZA, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammad Ishtaye expressed Sunday the hope for the success of the legislative elections that will be followed by presidential elections in the Palestinian territories.
"I hope that all of us will work for the success of the elections to restore the democratic glow of the Palestinian national institution, both legislative and executive," Ishtaye said.
The Palestinian prime minister's remarks were made in a speech during the first celebration of the Palestinian National Women's Day on Sunday at the presidential headquarters in Ramallah.
"Our perspective for internal reconciliation is based on legitimacy; one law, one system, one government, one weapon, and one security man, but unfortunately this perspective is not accepted by the Hamas movement," he said.
Ishtaye explained that the Palestinian Authority doesn't accept Hamas movement's perspective which is based on power-sharing, adding "so let us go to general, free and democratic elections whose results are acceptable to all."
Earlier on Sunday, a high-ranking delegation representing the Palestinian elections commission arrived in the Gaza Strip to hold talks with the Islamic Hamas movement on holding the Palestinian elections.
The media office of crossing points between Gaza Strip and Israel said in a short text message sent to reporters that Hanna Nasser, president of the Palestinian Central Elections Commission, headed the delegation.
The message also said that the delegation included Hisham Kuhail, executive director of the commission, and Ashraf al-Shueibi, deputy executive director, adding that the visit in the Hamas-ruled coastal enclave will last for a few days.
The Palestinian delegation came from the West Bank and crossed into the Gaza Strip through Erez crossing point between the northern tip of the enclave and Israel.
Nasser and his delegation had been earlier designated by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to head to the Gaza Strip and hold talks with Hamas and other minor Palestinian factions on holding the Palestinian elections.
Abbas insists that legislative or parliamentary elections have to be first held and then after a few months, presidential elections will be held in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, and East Jerusalem.
Hamas, in the meanwhile, insists that both parliamentary and presidential elections, as well as the elections for Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) parliament, known as the National Council (PNC), must be held all at once.
Kuhail told Xinhua that the delegation of the committee will hold a series of meetings in the Gaza Strip, including the leadership of Hamas and other Palestinian factions and civil society institutions.
"We want to know their position on holding legislative elections that will be followed by the presidential within a short period of time, hoping that the delegation will succeed in their mission," said Kuhail.
Hamas spokesman, Abdul Latif al-Qanoua said in a press statement that Hamas welcomes the visit of the commission's delegation, adding that Hamas leadership will inform the delegation of their strict position on holding the elections.
"Before holding the elections, we all need the status of consensus in order to ensure its success," said al-Qanoua.
The less influential Islamic Jihad has meanwhile said in a press statement that the general elections that they (Hamas and the PA) are talking about in this period "won't resolve the internal Palestinian crisis."
"Having the Palestinian rivals sitting together to restore unity and protect the Palestinian national principles are more important than holding the elections," Nafez Azzam, a senior Gaza-based Islamic Jihad leader said.
