The Popular Movement for National Salvation in Gaza has sent a message to the participants in the Arab-European summit to be held on Sunday in Sharm el-Sheikh asserting that “Mahmoud Abbas is no longer a representative of his own people or a legitimate Palestinian Authority (PA) chief.”
“We’d like to inform you that Mahmoud Abbas no longer has a legitimate status to represent the Palestinian people and speak on their behalf in accordance with the Palestinian Basic Law which has limited the term of the president to only four years—accordingly Abbas’ term of office expired in 2009” the Popular Movement stated in the message which was circulated to various media outlets.
“Abbas has been practicing presidential duties for 10 years as a fait accompli…this situation however has dismembered the Palestinian political system and excluded active Palestinian faction and political forces from participating in decision-making and playing a role in public life which has led to deepening the constitutional and legal crisis that has overshadowed the Palestinian political scene” the message underlined.
“During those years Abbas has abused the powers granted by the Basic Law to the Palestinian Authority president through issuing more than 200 law decrees…and taking punitive measures against the civilians in the Gaza Strip” the message added.
The Popular Movement for National Salvation also held Abbas fully responsible for the failure of the efforts that had been made at the end of 2018 by the UN and international and regional parties to broker a truce agreement between Israel and the Palestinians in Gaza and end the blockade imposed on the population.
