The Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas said that it received with deep sorrow the decision of Fatah and the Palestinian Authority (PA), represented by its president Mahmoud Abbas, to cancel the Palestinian elections.

Hamas said in a statement, a copy of which obtained by Safa, that "Fatah and the PA leadership bears full responsibility for this decision and its repercussions, which is considered as a coup against national partnership and consensuses; the Palestinian national situation and popular and national consensus should not be confined to the agenda of a single faction."

"Palestinian citizens of Jerusalem have proved themselves to be able to impose their will on the Israeli occupation and they are capable of forcing the Israeli occupation to accept holding the Palestinian elections in the holy city," the movement added.

Meanwhile, Hamas underlined that it has boycotted the meeting headed by Abbas because it already knew that Fatah and the PA were planning to announce canceling the Palestinian elections under other grounds that have nothing to do with Jerusalem.

"In a phone call on Thursday, we explained to the Fatah leadership that we were ready to take part in the meeting if it was intended to discuss how to oblige the Israeli occupation to allow holding the Palestinian elections in Jerusalem," the statement read.

"Thus, we decided to boycott the meeting out of respect for the Palestinian people –the vast majority of whom registered for the elections– and thousands of candidates looking forward to exercising their political rights, representing their people, and defending them."

In addition, the movement highlighted that it took this move so that its participation will not be used as a cover-up for undermining this national end that has long been awaited by the Palestinian people.  

"Hailing the Jerusalem intifada by the PA president should have been used as a basis to defy the Israeli occupation by holding the Palestinian vote in Jerusalem without prior permission from it," it underscored.

Hamas also vehemently condemned the false and baseless claims made by Abbas against it in his final statement.

"Hamas will remain committed to defending the Palestinian people and their rights to choose their representatives, calling on Palestinian factions and political and civil parties to set up a national roadmap to end monopolism, achieve national unity on true and solid basses that guarantee to accomplish an inclusive political reform and dedicate all efforts towards resisting the Israeli occupation and involve in battles with it at all levels," the statement concluded.