Abbas's term in office expired a long time ago

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Hamas won't recognize extension of Abbas's term
Thu, 17 Dec 2009 00:38:10 GMT

Hamas has refused to recognize the extension of the tenure
of acting Palestinian Authority Chief, Mahmoud Abbas,
describing the decision as illegitimate.
http://www.presstv.ir/photo/20091217/beglari20091217040124312.jpg

"This is an illegal decision and a political bribe to cover
up for the fact that Abbas's term in office expired a long
time ago," Hamas said in a statement, Sari al-Khalili, Press
TV correspondent reported.

"Abbas's term in office expired and no one has the right to
extend his mandate," it added.

The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO)'s Central
Council extended Abbas's term beyond January. His mandate
expired in early 2009.

The resistance movement has also rejected the extension of
the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC)'s mandate which is
due to expire in January 2010.

"Anything issued by the Central Council is illegal since the
council had expired its term and its decisions are no longer
binding to the Palestinian people," Hamas said in a
statement.

The statement said, "the Palestinian people is the source of
legitimacy," not the PLO's legislature.

"The PLC is the master of itself according to the basic law
and will keep carrying out its work until a new PLC is
elected and sworn in," it added.

Hamas described the move as a "coup against the Palestinian
constitution".

SB/SS/RE
Related Stories:
Palestinian Council extends Abbas' term
New Gaza war seals Israel 'failure'

http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=113936&sectionid=351020202

Palestinian Council extends Abbas' term
Wed, 16 Dec 2009 18:39:50 GMT

Acting Palestinian Authority chief, Mahmoud Abbas, gestures
as he speaks during a meeting of the Central Council of the
Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) in the West Bank
city of Ramallah, Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2009.
http://www.presstv.ir/photo/20091216/pirhayati20091216203211656.jpg

The Central Council of the Palestine Liberation Organization
(PLO) has extended the tenure of Mahmoud Abbas as acting
chief of the Palestinian Authority until new elections are
held.

The vote endorsed Abbas' earlier decision to call off the
January 24 presidential and legislative elections due to the
boycott of the vote in the Gaza Strip by the Hamas movement.

Parliament's mandate was extended too at the PLO meeting in
the West Bank city of Ramallah.

Abbas, whose term ends on January 25, says it is impossible
to hold the elections due to Hamas' refusal to allow voting
in the Gaza Strip.

Hamas, which controls the coastal enclave, disputes Abbas'
legitimacy and says the extension is unconstitutional.

The Central Council also endorsed Abbas' refusal to return
to negotiations with Israel until the regime stops the
construction of Jewish settlements in the occupied lands.

"We will not go to negotiations until Israel fully halts
settlement activities and agrees to a term of reference for
such negotiations," said PLO Central Council member Tawfiq
al-Tirawi.

Abbas' failure to mend fences with the rival Hamas movement
or win concessions from Tel Aviv's hard-line regime has
impaired his reputation among scores of Palestinians.

Ever since Hamas won an outright majority in the 2006
Palestinian legislative elections, the two factions have
pursued bitter rivalry featuring sporadic fighting and tit-
for-tat arrests.

Since Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip from the Fatah
faction in the summer of 2007, the coastal enclave has been
under an economic siege laid by the US, Israel and the EU.

Since then, Hamas has governed the Gaza Strip, while Fatah
has continued to control the West Bank from Ramallah.

Israel and Egypt, with the Palestinian Authority's
blessings, have both sealed their borders with the Gaza
Strip, effectively cutting off the coastal enclave from the
rest of the world.

The Western-backed embattled Palestinian leader has
frequently threatened to resign over the paralysis of peace
negotiations with Israel, despite the fact that he has at
the same time suggested to remain in office.

MP/AKM
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=113908&sectionid=351020202
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