Palestinians unhappy with Abbas' frequent absences
Tuesday, 23 December 2008
RAMALLAH, West Bank, Dec 22 (AP): In four years as Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas has traveled to the far corners of the earth, but never set foot in the West Bank's largest city, Hebron.
Ordinary Palestinians have long grumbled about their leader's travels abroad, despite ongoing crises at home. Those include trips to France and several Arab countries immediately after the Islamic militant group Hamas routed forces loyal to Abbas' Fatah party to take over the Gaza Strip in June 2007
Abbas aides say he's helping the Palestinian cause by rallying international support. They say the day-to-day government is the prime minister's job and Abbas, who was in Chechnya on Sunday, is continuing a pattern set by his predecessor, frequent flyer Yasser Arafat.
"The world is still supporting us ... simply because of our efforts, the efforts of President Abbas and before that the late president, Yasser Arafat," said Abbas aide Nimr Hamad.
But the globetrotting Abbas was reminded recently by Fatah district leaders that he had never been to Hebron as president. Abbas, who also hasn't been to the nearby towns of Jenin, Qalqiliya and Tulkarem as president either, told the Fatah chiefs he'd get out more often but didn't make a firm commitment.
The president's leadership style is becoming more of an issue now that he must win a new mandate. His opponents say his four-year term ends in early January, and he has said he'll call new elections. But there's also a possibility he will simply stay on as president, over Hamas' objections.
Either way, his performance, including the loss of Gaza and his failure to reach a peace deal with Israel, will come under more scrutiny as he struggles for renewed political legitimacy.
Ordinary Palestinians have long grumbled about their leader's travels abroad, despite ongoing crises at home. Those include trips to France and several Arab countries immediately after the Islamic militant group Hamas routed forces loyal to Abbas' Fatah party to take over the Gaza Strip in June 2007
Abbas aides say he's helping the Palestinian cause by rallying international support. They say the day-to-day government is the prime minister's job and Abbas, who was in Chechnya on Sunday, is continuing a pattern set by his predecessor, frequent flyer Yasser Arafat.
"The world is still supporting us ... simply because of our efforts, the efforts of President Abbas and before that the late president, Yasser Arafat," said Abbas aide Nimr Hamad.
But the globetrotting Abbas was reminded recently by Fatah district leaders that he had never been to Hebron as president. Abbas, who also hasn't been to the nearby towns of Jenin, Qalqiliya and Tulkarem as president either, told the Fatah chiefs he'd get out more often but didn't make a firm commitment.
The president's leadership style is becoming more of an issue now that he must win a new mandate. His opponents say his four-year term ends in early January, and he has said he'll call new elections. But there's also a possibility he will simply stay on as president, over Hamas' objections.
Either way, his performance, including the loss of Gaza and his failure to reach a peace deal with Israel, will come under more scrutiny as he struggles for renewed political legitimacy.