Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Announced The Date For The Legislative Elections On May 22. Editorial Image

Palestinian security forces stand guard outside the Legislative Council building in Gaza City, on Jan 17. Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas on January 15, announced dates for the first elections in more than 15 years, setting legislative polls for May 22 and a July 31 presidential vote. Abbas`s Fatah party, which controls the Palestinian Authority based in the occupied West Bank, and the Hamas Islamists, who hold power in Gaza, have for years expressed interest in taking Palestinians back to the polls. Photo by Abed Rahim Khatib