European countries criticize delay of Palestinian elections

France, Germany, Italy and Spain on Friday expressed disappointment over Palestinian Authority (PA) chairman Mahmoud Abbas' decision to postpone parliamentary elections scheduled for May.

"We call upon the Palestinian Authority to put forward a new electoral calendar as soon as possible," the four major European Union countries said in a joint statement quoted by Reuters.

"We call on Israel to facilitate the holding of such elections across all of the Palestinian territory, including in East Jerusalem, on the basis of past agreements," they added.

Abbas officially announced on Thursday night that the Palestinian elections would be postponed, citing Israel’s refusal to allow Arabs residing in eastern Jerusalem to vote.

The decree stated that legislative elections would take place on May 22. A “presidential” election was to have taken place on July 31. The decree set a deadline of August 31 for establishing the Palestinian National Council.