Meeting in Ramallah, the Palestine Liberation Organization’s Central Council agreed Dec. 16 to extend the term of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, keeping him in office until new elections can be scheduled.
His term expires Jan. 25. Palestinian elections scheduled for next month were canceled when Hamas refused to allow the vote to go forward in the Gaza Strip, which it controls.
Abbas, 74, has said he will not run for re-election. Hamas does not recognize the extension, Al Jazeera reported. — jta