Palestine: PLO leader Mahmoud Abbas resigns from his position

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas
(Image: Wikipedia)

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has resigned as the chief of Palestinian Liberation Organization on Saturday, 22 August. His resignation came along with resignation of over the half of an 18-member PLO executive committee, according to the local media.

Mahmoud Abbas remains President of Palestine, while the reasons of his resignation of the PLO leader were not disclosed till now. There were earlier reports that this decision could be taken with a bid to force new internal election in Palestinian Liberation Organization in order to elect the new top executive body and leader.

Saeb Erekat, prominent Palestinian political figure and chief negotiator of PLO, will replace Mahmoud Abbas on the position of a PLO leader.

Meanwhile, Palestinian National Council called for election to be held within a month to elect the new executive committee of the PLO.

Mahmoud Abbas, 80, took this position for 11 years, along with the majority of the PLO executive members, as he took the position of a leader of Ramallah based Palestinian government back in 2005.

The executive committee is the highest decision making body of the Palestinian Liberation Organization and acts on behalf of the Palestinian President on the currently occupied Palestinian territories, in Diaspora and in the peace talks with Israel as well.

Many analysts say that Mahmoud Abbas’ resignation as a chief of PLO will create a legal vacuum in the country and could become a sign of political instability.