As Palestine prepares for presidential and legislative elections on 22 May after a fifteen-year hiatus, many Palestinians hope that a unified Palestinian government will ease to some degree their financial hardship created by the Zionist regime as the West Bank is subject to Israeli trade restrictions, while Gaza Strip is subject to a near-total Israeli blockade where 1.5 million Palestinians reside.

It is evident that the long-overdue election in the Palestinian territories is the most crushing blow to the Zionist regime.

Since 2006, Palestine had entered a prolonged political vacuum as endless dissensions among Palestinian factions undermined the prospect for a unified Palestinian government especially in the face of the Israeli constant crimes.

The main stumbling block to the Hamas-Fatah coalition government has always been disagreement over the issue of the so-called peace talks with the Zionist regime which Hamas categorically rejects. The need for a unified Palestinian government gained urgency following the end of Trump’s term in office which also brought a bitter end to the mirage of a peace accord between Arabs and Israelis.

Fortunately, both Hamas and Fatah leaders agreed on national reconciliation, so far with success, adding momentum to efforts to end fifteen years of internecine fighting.

But the Zionist regime didn’t stand idle. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu repeatedly stressed the imminent threat of a unified Palestinian front. The Zionists have two main plans to derail the Palestinian elections, either by escalating military onslaught on the Gaza Strip or by replacing the incumbent Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who frustrated the Israeli government for not having enough strength to carry out Tel Aviv’s agendas.

In a related development, Salah al-Bardawil, a member of Hamas’ political bureau, warned that the Zionist regime is making egregious efforts to disrupt the Palestinian electoral process in a bid to prevent the pro-Hamas candidates from running for the upcoming elections in the occupied West Bank.

Today, in all the tumult of the Arab world, one of the most striking manifestations of change is rejuvenated support for the Palestinian cause. Hence, it is imperative upon all Palestinians to find a tenable solution vis-à-vis Israeli occupation and holding a democratic election is an excellent way to start with.