Palestinian leader’s path to elections is fraught with peril

RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) — Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ call for elections has thrown his political future into peril. He must negotiate competing demands to engage with a friendlier U.S. administration, mend the rift with his militant Hamas rivals and keep his unruly Fatah movement from breaking apart. It is also far from clear the elections will actually be held. Doing so will require an agreement between Fatah and Hamas, which have been bitterly divided for more than a decade despite multiple attempts at reconciliation. The two rival Palestinain sides plan to meet in Cairo this week to discuss the way forward.