Abbas plans to call Palestinian elections as independent state
Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas will propose that Palestinians hold presidential and parliamentary elections as an independent state to the national Palestinian Council convening in Ramallah over the coming weekend. DEBKAfile: This plan belies his assertions he made to visiting Israeli reporters that he was ready for a three-month extension of the negotiations deadline provided Israel meets his conditions. He also said that if the talks break down, he will hand Israel control of the Palestinian Authority, lock, stock and barrel – one of his favorite threats. His own tenure as president ran out in 2009.