While many welcomed the announcement on Friday, many are also skeptical they will bring any change or even happen it all.

President Mahmoud Abbas said the parliamentary and presidential elections would be held later this year in a bid to heal a long standing divisions.

His main rival, the militant Islamist group Hamas that runs the Gaza Strip, welcomed the move.

The Palestinians, Reuters spoke thio.

We're cautiously optimistic way we're in need of a democratic framework that could bring radical change, whether in the government or the national council that has been in place for years, which needs renewal and young blood to build a free democratic nation.

It is built on a lie.

The Palestinian Territories thing is a 100% good decision merited for over 15 years, if not more.

We're supposed to be initiating a state and thus should have democracy and democracy is elections.

The split territory is plagued by political infighting and distrusts of institutions.

The announcement is widely seen as a gesture aimed at pleasing US President elect Joe Biden.

Palestinians are keen to reset relations after they reached a low under Donald Trump.

It's not clear whether 85 year old Abbas, who is in poor health, is going to run.

A December poll by the Palestinian for Policy and Survey Research found 52% of Palestinians think elections held under present conditions would not be fair and free if Hamas won 76 per cent thought fatter.

The party led by Abbas would not accept the result.

58% believed Hamas would reject a fatter victory.

Gaza is a Hamas stronghold, while Abbas its power bases in the Israeli occupied West Bank.

The two groups have failed to achieve lasting reconciliation on previous election pledges went unfulfilled.