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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
|---|---|
| Abbas made Palestinian state head | Abbas made Palestinian state head |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| The Palestinian Authority's central council has voted to appoint Mahmoud Abbas as Palestinian state president. | The Palestinian Authority's central council has voted to appoint Mahmoud Abbas as Palestinian state president. |
| It is a symbolic title, as a Palestinian state has not yet been formed. The position has been vacant since Yasser Arafat's death in 2004. | It is a symbolic title, as a Palestinian state has not yet been formed. The position has been vacant since Yasser Arafat's death in 2004. |
| The militant group Hamas rejected the move, saying the power to elect the state president rested with the people. | The militant group Hamas rejected the move, saying the power to elect the state president rested with the people. |
| Mr Abbas, who is already president of the Palestinian Authority, is locked in a power struggle with Hamas. | Mr Abbas, who is already president of the Palestinian Authority, is locked in a power struggle with Hamas. |
| He has threatened to call elections if there was no progress in reconciliation talks. | He has threatened to call elections if there was no progress in reconciliation talks. |
| He said he might issue a decree early in 2009 for presidential and parliamentary polls, but gave no date. His term in office ends on 9 January. | He said he might issue a decree early in 2009 for presidential and parliamentary polls, but gave no date. His term in office ends on 9 January. |
| Analysts say he is unlikely to call the polls, given the strength of Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip. | Analysts say he is unlikely to call the polls, given the strength of Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip. |
| Hamas quickly rejected the proposal, saying the idea was "unconstitutional". | Hamas quickly rejected the proposal, saying the idea was "unconstitutional". |
| 'Political problem' | 'Political problem' |
| A Hamas leader in Gaza also said the appointment of Mr Abbas as Palestinian state president showed the difficulties that he is facing. | |
| "It's a symbol indicating the political problem that Abu Mazen [Mahmoud Abbas] and his group are facing while he is going to lose his official position as the [president] of the Palestinian Authority," said Mahmoud Zahar. | "It's a symbol indicating the political problem that Abu Mazen [Mahmoud Abbas] and his group are facing while he is going to lose his official position as the [president] of the Palestinian Authority," said Mahmoud Zahar. |
| He said the central council was not authorised to appoint the state president - this could only be done by a popular vote. | He said the central council was not authorised to appoint the state president - this could only be done by a popular vote. |
| Mr Abbas had previously indicated he intended to remain in office a further year - the term of the Hamas-led parliament. | Mr Abbas had previously indicated he intended to remain in office a further year - the term of the Hamas-led parliament. |
| "If the dialogue with Hamas fails, early next year I will call for simultaneous presidential and parliamentary elections," he told members of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) in the West Bank town of Ramallah. | "If the dialogue with Hamas fails, early next year I will call for simultaneous presidential and parliamentary elections," he told members of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) in the West Bank town of Ramallah. |
| But Hamas - which has repeatedly stressed its opposition to any extension of Mr Abbas' term in office - quickly asserted its opposition to the plan for early polls. | But Hamas - which has repeatedly stressed its opposition to any extension of Mr Abbas' term in office - quickly asserted its opposition to the plan for early polls. |
| The movement won a clear majority in the Palestinian parliament in the election of January 2006. | The movement won a clear majority in the Palestinian parliament in the election of January 2006. |
| It seized control of the Gaza Strip last year and has clashed with Mr Abbas' supporters there and in the West Bank. | It seized control of the Gaza Strip last year and has clashed with Mr Abbas' supporters there and in the West Bank. |
| Mr Abbas was elected for a four-year term in January 2005. | Mr Abbas was elected for a four-year term in January 2005. |