Ismail Haniya Gaza – Mohammed Habib Hamas renewed its commitment to hold Palestinian elections on the previously-agreed-upon dates. Presidential and legislative elections are due on May 4, according to Hamas official, while experts believe that carrying  out the elections will not be easy, as Israel just began a campaign of detention against Hamas members.
Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said in a press release on Sunday: "Of course, we are focused on the elections; but this matter is not necessarily overriding the issue of public freedoms.”
Meanwhile, Hamas Prime Minister in Gaza Strip Ismail Haniya said the elections were the only way to guarantee a change in power.
Haniya made the remarks during a news conference on Sunday also attended by Hanna Nasser, chairman of the central elections committee, his colleagues in Gaza, and government spokesman Taher Al-Nunu.
"The prime minister promised to help the committee in its mandate in Gaza Strip to guarantee smooth elections with complete transparency," Al-Nunu said.
He added that they discussed the work of the committee in details, while Haniya also pointed that the elections were the only way to a peaceful rotation of authorities.
Meanwhile, Hanna Nasser said the committee has opened offices in Gaza in order to begin registration of voters.
Hamas officials told London-based Arabic newspaper Al-Hayat that the security conditions in West Bank are not suitable to carry out elections on May as agreed, because of the Israeli campaign of detention against Hamas members.
Last week, Israel arrested five Hamas members of the Palestinian Legislative Council PLC including the Speaker Aziz Dweik.
According to the Islamic movement officials, there are at the moment 24 PLC members being detained by the Israeli authorities. Most of Hamas lawmakers in the West Bank have been sentenced to 3 or 4 years in Israeli jails, on charges to belong to “terrorist organisations.” Although most of them ended their prison sentence, Israel keeps extending the sentence for “administrative detention” to other six month.
Al-Hayat's source also expressed Hamas concerns about carrying out the elections on May while Israel is conducting a campaign of detention against its members. Hamas also questions the possibility of holding elections in Jerusalem, stressing that the vote should be postponed to next year, in order to provide suitable security conditions.
Hamas and Fatah agreed to hold fresh elections after signing a reconciliation deal in May 2011, and both parties said the electoral body would be reformed and given access to work in Gaza. The commission was restructured in December and announced the reopening of its Gaza headquarters on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, political science professor at Al-Nagah University, Raed Naerat pointed that the previous elections were held with Israeli agreement, and included Jerusalem, while for these elections Israel is not as welcoming, as it fears that Hamas will win.
Naerat added that Israel wants to reach a common ground with the Islamic movement, where Hamas presents some political concessions for the elections.