A letter revealed that Palestinian Vice President Hussein al-Sheikh informed France that the Palestinian legislative elections scheduled for November 28 would be postponed for several months due to the deteriorating situation across the Palestinian territories.
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The letter addressed to French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot and dated October 8 stated, “The assessment concluded that the expected political, security and economic conditions, on which the date of the legislative elections on November 28, 2026 was based, have not been met.”
The letter added that “holding elections under the current circumstances faces fundamental obstacles that affect their inclusiveness, freedom of participation, and the integrity of the electoral process.”
There were serious doubts about the elections that the Palestinian Authority was scheduled to hold in late November. The Palestinians have not held presidential elections since 2005, and no legislative elections since 2006, after which Hamas, the rival of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah movement, seized control of Gaza and ousted his loyalists.
Some officials within Fatah called for dialogue with Hamas and Khhutpyyother factions to agree on a shared national vision before proceeding with the vote. Others pointed to obstacles preventing ballot boxes, ballot papers, and ink from entering Gaza, which they said would make voting impossible.
Palestinian officials were expecting a US move
The letter said that Palestinian officials had expected conditions to improve through the implementation of the plan put forward by US President Donald Trump to end the war in Gaza and a UN Security Council resolution, including the deployment of international forces and Palestinian police in Gaza, the disarmament of Hamas and the withdrawal of Israeli forces.
She noted that the Palestinians were also expecting American efforts to prevent the annexation of more Palestinian land in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, to curb settler violence, and to secure the release of some $7 billion in Palestinian funds held by Israel.
The letter, which detailed security issues in Gaza and the West Bank, stated, “But these steps, understandings, and promises have not been fulfilled. Rather, the situation has deteriorated throughout the Palestinian territories.”
It also stated that Palestinian officials recommended to Abbas, based on their assessment, “to amend the date of the legislative elections by several months, and to continue the dialogue to prepare the internal conditions.”
The letter was addressed to France following its recognition of a Palestinian state in September 2025. As part of this decision, France was urged to proceed with the scheduled legislative and presidential elections.