GAZA, Oct. 29 (Xinhua) -- Hamas and the Palestinian Central Elections Commission have agreed to hold non-synchronized general elections in the Palestinian territories.
According to a copy of the agreement sent to Xinhua on Tuesday, the agreement was signed by Ismail Haniyeh, the Hamas chief who represents the Gaza-based Palestinian factions, and Hanna Nasser, president of the Palestinian Central Elections Commission.
The Gaza-based Palestinian factions "do not mind holding legislative and presidential elections at this stage even if they are not synchronized, provided that the period between them does not exceed three months," said the agreement.
A high-ranking delegation representing the Palestinian elections arrived in the Gaza Strip on Sunday night for talks with Hamas over the Palestinian elections, and returned to the West Bank on Tuesday to present the signed agreement to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
Abbas insisted that legislative or parliamentary elections must be held months before the presidential elections which will be held in the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem.
However, before the visit of the delegation to Gaza, Hamas, ruler of Gaza, insisted that both parliamentary and presidential elections as well as the parliamentary elections for the Palestine Liberation Organization must be held at the same time.
Last parliamentary elections were held in the Palestinian territories in 2006 where Hamas won a majority, while Abbas was elected the Palestinian president in 2005.
