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From the Liveblog of
Friday, January 9, 2026
From the Liveblog of
Friday, January 9, 2026
PA’s Abbas declares 2026 ‘will be the year of Palestinian democracy’
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleJacob Magid is The Times of Israel's US bureau chief
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas presided over the opening session of the Fatah Revolutionary Council last night at the presidential headquarters in Ramallah.
During his remarks to the council, Abbas declared that 2026 “will be the year of Palestinian democracy,” beginning with municipal elections throughout the West Bank in April, followed by the eight Fatah general conference — reportedly slated for May — and Palestinian National Council. All of this will pave the way for presidential elections “at the appropriate time.”
Abbas has committed to holding elections within one year from the end of the war in Gaza, where a ceasefire was reached in October 2025.
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