Major European Countries Express Disappointment Over Postponement of Palestinian Elections

On Friday, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain expressed disappointment over Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's decision to postpone the parliamentary elections scheduled for May and urged him to set a new date promptly. The four countries stated in a joint statement, "We call on the Palestinian Authority to set a new date for elections as soon as possible... and we urge Israel to facilitate such elections across all Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem, in accordance with previous agreements."