Abbas says no election unless Palestinians vote in East Jerusalem

RAMALLAH -- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas insisted on Sunday that there will be no general Palestinian election unless Israel allows Palestinians to vote in the heart of East Jerusalem.

Abbas made the remarks during his Fatah Movement's Advisory Council meeting, held at the Palestinian Presidency Headquarters in Ramallah, according to the Palestinian News Agency (WAFA).

"We won't hold any elections without having Jerusalem as part of it," said Abbas, adding, "Any resident of Jerusalem must go to vote in the heart of East Jerusalem."

Abbas' insistence on holding election in East Jerusalem is actually a challenge to US President Donald Trump's declaration at the end of 2017 that Jerusalem would be the capital of Israel.

Abbas declines to issue a presidential decree on setting dates for holding legislative and presidential elections in the Palestinian territories before getting Israel's approval to include East Jerusalem in the voting.

Israeli media earlier reported that the Israeli government ignored the Palestinian Authority's request.