Hamas Deputy Chief Saleh Al-Arouri confirmed that the elections must be conducted in occupied Jerusalem. 

He stated in a press release that Hamas is ready to go into the battle of elections through a comprehensive national alignment to confront the Israeli occupation, and valued the elections committee's position as it considered every Jerusalemite automatically registered for the elections.

He noted that the comprehensive national consensus for conducting the elections in Jerusalem might force Israel to retreat or turn Jerusalem into the spark of a Palestinian national Intifada. 

He considered backing away from the conduct of elections in Jerusalem because of Israel's rejection as defeatism and despair and confirmed that delaying the conduct of elections will deepen the division and conflicts between the Palestinian factions. 

Al-Arouri stressed his movement's respect for the results of elections and added that results will not be as America and Israel want, but as the Palestinians desire. 

He also confirmed Hamas's respect for the national consensus in any upcoming government, noting that Hamas aims at serving the Palestinians in all ways. 

He said that the government's task will be to serve the citizens and hoped the elections go fairly and transparently. 

Al-Arouri also confirmed his movement's support to the prisoners in the Israeli prisons and to set them free without any kind of discrimination. 

"Whoever gives up on the freedom of the prisoners, I don't trust in his belonging to the lands and its holy places," he added. 

Source : Safa