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Why were Palestinian elections planned for 2021 postponed indefinitely?

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Oslo Accords: Declaration of Principles on Palestinian Self-Rule — Palestinian Authority U.S. Pres. Bill Clinton (center) looking on as Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin (left) shakes hands with Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat after the signing of the Declaration of Principles on Palestinian Self-Rule, September 1993.

In late April 2021, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas announced that the parliamentary and presidential elections scheduled for that year would be postponed indefinitely. The primary reason cited for this decision was the concern that Israel would prevent voting from taking place in East Jerusalem, a justification that has been used to cancel elections in the past.12

While the elections were initially planned to offer an opening for electoral competition and to bolster the legitimacy of the Abbas-led government, the lead-up to the vote saw significant internal challenges within the Fatah movement. Prominent figures, including supporters of Mohammed Dahlan and a faction led by Nasser al-Qudwa, had formed separate lists to compete in the parliamentary elections, signaling a potential shift in leadership and organization.12