Abbas Promised Elections to Win Recognition. He Just Delayed Them Again. Washington Was Right Not to Rush
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas on Oct. 10 postponed what would have been the first Palestinian elections in two decades, moving the Nov. 28 legislative vote to Sept. 11, 2027. Australia and France, which recognized a Palestinian state, are protesting. In our view, recognition should follow reform, not precede it.
By Clara Hughes
ALTAS WORLD NEWS OPINION | By Clara Hughes, Chief Opinion Editor | October 13, 2026 | 6-min read The last time Palestinians voted for a parliament, in 2006, Hamas won [1]. Twenty years later, they will have to wait longer still. On Saturday, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas issued a decree postponing legislative elections set for Nov. 28 and combining them with a presidential vote on Sept. 11, 2027 [1]. The governments that rushed to recognize a Palestinian state on the strength of his promises are now protesting. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong's office called the decision "deeply disappointing" and said, "Continuing to delay elections undermines the prospects of a two-state solution" [2]. In our view, this is exactly why the United States was right not to hand out recognition before reform. Key Takeaways Abbas postponed the Nov. 28 legislative elections to Sept. 11, 2027, to be held alongside a presidential election [3][1]. The PLO Executive Committee cited conditions in Gaza, the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and Israel's withholding of clearance revenues it says approached $7 billion [3]. Abbas, 90, won the last presidential election in 2005; his term should have ended in 2009, and he has ruled by