Abbas To Remain President After Term Ends

PA President Mahmoud Abbas has announced his intention to remain PA President after his scheduled term ends. He is supposed to end his term as President in January, 2009. His party, Fatah, has been in a bitter battle with rival Hamas over control of Gaza and the West Bank for over a year.

Hamas has made it clear that they will not recognize Abbas as President once his term ends, but that is not much of a change from what is going on now. Fatah members are being arrested and erradicated in Gaza while Hamas members are being rounded up in the West Bank. There are two parties with two governments in the disputed territories. There is no unity in the government.

Abbas was elected to be President of the PA following the death of terrorist leader Yassir Arafat, who led Fatah and the PA in their prior state, which was known as the Palestinian Liberation Organization or PLO.