In a key policy speech on Saturday, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas announced his decision to call for new presidential and legislative elections at the nearest possible point in time, bringing months of speculation on the issue to an end and drawing both criticism and praise from various Palestinian political circles inside and outside the occupied territories.

The speech, delivered live before an audience which included a spectrum of Palestinian leaders, politicians, activists, academics, among others, was met by fierce criticism from the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas). Osama Hamdan, a key Hamas figure based in Damascus, called the measures a “…coup against the democratic choice of the Palestinian people,” while Fateh loyalist and former Minister of Foreign Affairs praised the move as a step in the right direction to end the ongoing economic and diplomatic crisis facing the Palestinians.

Hamas’ official response, however, is expected to be announced through Khaled Mash’al, the Damascus based politburo chief of Hamas who has been commonly noted as the movement’s figurehead.

Hamas had previously voiced its opposition to the holding of early elections, on the basis that this would undermine the validity and standing of January’s polls through which the movement had risen to power. However, months of economic and diplomatic isolation due to Hamas’ control of the executive and legislative branches of the Palestinian Authority has taken its toll on both the Palestinian people and leadership.

Meanwhile, the expectations on the Palestinian popular level are filled with anxiety and tension; while most Palestinians are eager to end a US-led international siege of the Palestinian Authority, they are equally wary of the impact of Hamas’ opposition to the new elections, hence concerns over the outbreak of internal political confrontations.