RAMALLAH, West Bank, Feb. 12 (UPI) -- The Palestinian Authority will hold elections for Parliament and president by September, officials said Saturday.
The announcement follows the announced resignation of Saeb Erekat as chief negotiator with Israel. Erekat told the BBC he has handed in his notice, but the broadcaster said President Mahmoud Abbas has not yet accepted it.
Yasser Abed Rabbo, secretary-general of the Palestine Liberation Organization, said the elections will "satisfy the will of the people."
Hanan Ashrawi, a member of the Palestinian Parliament, told CNN elections are needed to "re-establish the legitimacy" of the authority.
"We are a big nation, we have lots of people with potential and ability and integrity and charisma and national commitment and I think we should come up with leadership that will do the job," she said.
Documents obtained by WikiLeaks showed the Palestinian leadership had offered Israel far more in negotiations than leaders had admitted publicly, including large portions of East Jerusalem.
