Hamas, Fatah and other groups agreed on 9 February on the "mechanisms" for the elections, which includes an electoral court and commitments to open voting.

[6] CEC Chairman Hanna Nasir said on 16 January 2021 that "about two million Palestinians in Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza Strip were eligible to vote.

[9][10] Blaming Israel for not agreeing to permit Palestinians resident in Jerusalem to vote, Abbas postponed the election on 29 April[11] but did not set a new date.

[19] In reconciliation talks held in Cairo, Egypt, in March 2009, Hamas and Fatah agreed to hold the elections by 25 January 2010.

[21] The West Bank Palestinian government decided to postpone the presidential and PLC elections, arguing that it wanted to safeguard "national unity".

Presidential and parliamentary election to the Palestinian Authority were postponed several times because of intra-Palestinian political disputes between Fatah and Hamas,[24] from the original date of 17 July 2010.

[30] On 20 December 2013 Hamas called on the Palestinian Authority to form a six-month national unity government that would finally hold the long-delayed general election.

Mahmoud Abbas announced on 26 September 2019 at a speech held at the UN General Assembly that he intends to set a date for elections once he returns to the West Bank.

[41] On 10 December 2019, the Palestinian Authority asked Israel to allow East Jerusalem residents to vote in the planned elections, a request that Israeli officials said would go to the security cabinet.

[42] In early June 2008, Fatah had renominated Abbas as its candidate for the next presidential elections,[43] although reports in December had suggested that he would not run for a second term.

[14] Rumours emerged again on 28 October 2009 of Abbas not running for another term;[44] and on 5 November 2009, he publicly announced his intention not to seek reelection,[45] though he said he would stay until the next presidential election.