Abbas to remain Palestinian president beyond January

[oberliner]

The term of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has been indefinitely extended until new elections are held.

The decision was made at a meeting of the Palestine Liberation Organisation in the West Bank city of Ramallah. Parliament's mandate was extended too.

The elections were due in January but have been postponed over differences between rival factions Fatah and Hamas.

Hamas, which is boycotting an election, says the extension is unconstitutional.

PLO officials say they are acting to prevent a political vacuum.

Officials are hoping that reconciliation talks between Mr Abbas's Fatah movement and Hamas will eventually result in elections in June, but little progress has been made.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8416021.stm

[ProgressiveMuslim]

1. Hmm... who gave the PLO the authority to do that? Israel? LOL!

[oberliner]

2. Didn't the UN do that?

Wasn't the PLO recognized by the UN as the legitimate representative body for the Palestinian people? Was that ever invalidated?

[ProgressiveMuslim]

3. So... if the PLO are leaders in perpetuity, why bother with elections?

I get dizzy watching the variety of ways in which Palestinian self-determination is sidestepped.

[IndianaGreen]

4. Abbas is as legitimate as Ahmadinejad

[Violet_Crumble]

5. Doesn't sound very democratic n/t