Elections commission meets after restructure

The new group of commissioners in Palestine's official elections agency met in Ramallah on Monday, for the first time since a presidential decree ordered the restructure. Reform of the Central Elections Commission was a key term of the unity deal signed by Hamas and Fatah in May 2011. On Dec. 22 President Mahmoud Abbas ordered a new list of nine commissioners, while keeping president Hanna Nasser and secretary-general Rami Hamdullah in their roles. Hamdullah presided over the meeting as Nasser is currently abroad, CEC officials said. Linked to CEC commissioners in Gaza by video conference, the commissioners "confirmed their determination to undertake their responsibility in promoting national reconciliation through the professional and objective work of the Commission," according to a press statement after the Monday meeting. "It was decided to extend communication efforts with various stakeholders to ensure the re-opening of Gaza offices," the statement added. The commission had previously blamed Gaza rulers Hamas for blocking their work in the coastal strip, and the Islamist party complained the agency did not consult with them over scheduled votes. Officials say the reconciliation deal will set out a path to holding national elections in May 2012, after fighting between Hamas and Fatah split Palestinians into rival administrations in 2007 and paralyzed legislative and electoral processes.