国际英语新闻:Fatah seeks consensus on "not to hold Palestinian elections without East Jerusalem"

RAMALLAH, Dec. 21 (Xinhua) -- The Revolutionary Council of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah Movement called on Saturday on the Palestinian factions to agree on "not to hold the elections without holding it in East Jerusalem."

"Holding the elections in the West Bank, Gaza and Jerusalem constitutes a necessity to renew legitimacy, a national and constitutional entitlement, and a last way to solve the problem of the Palestinian internal division," the council said in an official statement at the conclusion of a three-day meeting held in Ramallah.

The council called for all Palestinian factions' commitments to recognizing the results of the elections on the ground of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) program, the sole and legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.

Fatah council also decided to form a committee that comprises members from the Central Committee, the revolutionary council and the advisory board of Fatah movement to prepare for holding the general elections.

Israel hasn't yet given any response to the Palestinian Authority, on whether it accepts or rejects holding the legislative elections in East Jerusalem.

Analysts believe that Abbas wants to hold the elections, with the participation of 400,000 Palestinians living in Jerusalem, as a political challenge against U.S. President Donald Trump's declaration at the end of 2017 that the city is the capital of the state of Israel.