The elections for the Palestinian National Council (PNC) will be held on November 1, the Palestinian news agency Wafa reports.
The PNC is the parliament of the Palestinian umbrella organization PLO; its more than 700 members have so far been appointed rather than elected by the people.
"Elections should be held wherever possible, both inside and outside Palestine, to ensure the widest possible participation of the Palestinian people wherever they live," Abbas said in a statement.
Hamas is not represented in the PNC, which is dominated by the terrorist group's political rival, Fatah.
Representatives of the Palestinian diaspora are also included in the PNC.
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