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Poland to cancel absentee voting in Tel Aviv for Oct. 15 election

11.10.2023 23:00
Poland will cancel absentee voting in Tel Aviv for its October 15 parliamentary election due to ongoing fighting between Israel and Hamas, the Polish foreign ministry said on Wednesday.
Photo:
Photo:PAP/Leszek Szymański

"For the safety of our citizens, taking into account the fact that Israel is in a state of war and the consequences resulting from threats and restrictions on gatherings in force ... it was necessary to recognize these risks and respond to them adequately," it said in a statement.

Foreign Minister Zbigniew Rau said earlier this week that 1,145 Polish citizens had registered to vote in Israel, the Reuters news agency reported.

Rau said on Tuesday that more than 560,000 Poles living abroad had registered to vote in their country's parliamentary election on October 15.

Tuesday was the last day for expat Poles to register for the vote.

Polish voters will head to the ballot box on Sunday to elect 460 new MPs and 100 senators for a four-year term.

In August, Poland's lawmakers approved a plan to combine parliamentary elections with a nationwide referendum on issues including illegal migration.

The United Nations Security Council is set to meet later this week to discuss the conflict between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas in Gaza.

Last Saturday, Hamas fighters stormed into Israel from the Gaza Strip, killing hundreds of people and taking scores of hostages.

(gs)

Source: PAP, Reuters, gov.pl