Leaks appear to show Abbas playing power games
Analysis: Leaked minutes of a meeting that included Saeb Erekat and Palestinian security figures appear to confirm that Abbas' resignation on Monday was a ruse to reassert power.
4 min read
Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas (right) and PLO negotiator Saeb Erekat [Anadolu]
Minutes of a meeting between PLO negotiator Saeb Erekat and Major General Majed Faraj, a Palestinian security figure, discussing how to restructure the Palestine Liberation Organisation to the benefit of Mahmoud Abbas, president of the Palestinian Authority, have reportedly been leaked.
Following the resignation of Abbas on Monday, Erekat replaced him as secretary-general of the PLO.
The minutes of the meeting held on July 28 were leaked from Faraj's office to al-Akhbar, the newspaper has claimed.
The report appears to confirm suspicions that the recent resignations of Mahmoud Abbas and a number of his associates from the national executive of the PLO were a ruse to strengthen Abbas' position, and that of his Fatah party, within PLO circles.
The resignations mean that snap elections in the Palestinian National Council (PNC) must be called to elect new members to the PLO's executive committee.
As these elections must take place within a few weeks, many members of the PNC may not be able to attend. This could mean that a majority of voters in attendance would favour Mahmoud Abbas over his rivals, and would elect a national committee to his liking.
The participants in the July meeting appear to have discussed these plans - according to the documents which have not been seen by al-Araby - stemming from their desire to replace seven members of the executive committee, including Yasser Abed Rabbo, a suspected affiliate of Mohammad Dahlan, Abbas-rival and Fatah strongman.
According to the minutes, messages were sent to a number of members of the PLO Executive Committee to submit their resignations. "It appears that Yasser Abed Rabbo has refused [to resign] and is stirring up trouble and he must be pressed another way."
Abbas reportedly attempted to remove Rabbo from his position in June, however Rabbo refused, saying that Abbas did not have the authority to demand his removal.
The minutes discussed that if a group resignation was submitted, it would compel the Palestinian National Council to hold an emergency meeting and hold elections.
Those in attendance also discussed potential replacements for the seven members of the executive committee they wanted ousted, including imprisoned Fatah leader, Marwan al-Barghouti, "to resolve the issues facing people and areas".
Before touching on the internal Fatah situation the attendees spoke about the situation of the Palestinian Authority.
One of those in attendance said: "We must speak honestly, we don't want to mislead each other, the coming period will be more serious than anyone has imagined. This year has been a hard year full of disasters."
Another added: "There could be a new crisis that would wipe us out, we must have a serious plan and hold meetings periodically until we get rid of all the issues of the PA, Fatah and the PLO."
This echoes the view of certain analysts, that Abbas has been attempting to realign the PA, Fatah and the PLO in his favour.
Regional issues were also discussed in the meeting, as analysts noted that insecurity surrounding the increased international recognition of Hamas, demonstrated by its negotiations with Israel, could also be a motive for Abbas to reassert power in the PLO.
"After all we have presented to Israel they are still unconvinced by us and have made the decision to end our 'era'. Despite cooperation from the Americans they have made the same decision," the minutes read, adding that US Secretary of State John Kerry was a "liar".
"Both parties feel this way, as well as Tony Blair whose moves towards Hamas are based on this," said a participant in the meeting, referring to former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair's meetings with leader of Hamas' political bureau, Khaled Meshaal.
Although the resignations of the PLO national executive members have still not been officially accepted by Salim Zanoun, the president of the PNC, the emergency meeting and new elections look set to go ahead.
Both Rabbo and Hamas, the rival political movement to Fatah, dismissed the resignations on Sunday as a "play", created to strengthen Abbas' authority.
Since the Oslo peace accords in the 1990s, many observers say that the PLO has lost legitimacy, although the organisation is still the official representative of the Palestinian people at the UN.
Following the resignation of Abbas on Monday, Erekat replaced him as secretary-general of the PLO.
The minutes of the meeting held on July 28 were leaked from Faraj's office to al-Akhbar, the newspaper has claimed.
The report appears to confirm suspicions that the recent resignations of Mahmoud Abbas and a number of his associates from the national executive of the PLO were a ruse to strengthen Abbas' position, and that of his Fatah party, within PLO circles.
The resignations mean that snap elections in the Palestinian National Council (PNC) must be called to elect new members to the PLO's executive committee.
As these elections must take place within a few weeks, many members of the PNC may not be able to attend. This could mean that a majority of voters in attendance would favour Mahmoud Abbas over his rivals, and would elect a national committee to his liking.
The participants in the July meeting appear to have discussed these plans - according to the documents which have not been seen by al-Araby - stemming from their desire to replace seven members of the executive committee, including Yasser Abed Rabbo, a suspected affiliate of Mohammad Dahlan, Abbas-rival and Fatah strongman.
According to the minutes, messages were sent to a number of members of the PLO Executive Committee to submit their resignations. "It appears that Yasser Abed Rabbo has refused [to resign] and is stirring up trouble and he must be pressed another way."
Abbas reportedly attempted to remove Rabbo from his position in June, however Rabbo refused, saying that Abbas did not have the authority to demand his removal.
The minutes discussed that if a group resignation was submitted, it would compel the Palestinian National Council to hold an emergency meeting and hold elections.
Those in attendance also discussed potential replacements for the seven members of the executive committee they wanted ousted, including imprisoned Fatah leader, Marwan al-Barghouti, "to resolve the issues facing people and areas".
Before touching on the internal Fatah situation the attendees spoke about the situation of the Palestinian Authority.
One of those in attendance said: "We must speak honestly, we don't want to mislead each other, the coming period will be more serious than anyone has imagined. This year has been a hard year full of disasters."
Another added: "There could be a new crisis that would wipe us out, we must have a serious plan and hold meetings periodically until we get rid of all the issues of the PA, Fatah and the PLO."
This echoes the view of certain analysts, that Abbas has been attempting to realign the PA, Fatah and the PLO in his favour.
Regional issues were also discussed in the meeting, as analysts noted that insecurity surrounding the increased international recognition of Hamas, demonstrated by its negotiations with Israel, could also be a motive for Abbas to reassert power in the PLO.
"After all we have presented to Israel they are still unconvinced by us and have made the decision to end our 'era'. Despite cooperation from the Americans they have made the same decision," the minutes read, adding that US Secretary of State John Kerry was a "liar".
"Both parties feel this way, as well as Tony Blair whose moves towards Hamas are based on this," said a participant in the meeting, referring to former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair's meetings with leader of Hamas' political bureau, Khaled Meshaal.
Although the resignations of the PLO national executive members have still not been officially accepted by Salim Zanoun, the president of the PNC, the emergency meeting and new elections look set to go ahead.
Both Rabbo and Hamas, the rival political movement to Fatah, dismissed the resignations on Sunday as a "play", created to strengthen Abbas' authority.
Since the Oslo peace accords in the 1990s, many observers say that the PLO has lost legitimacy, although the organisation is still the official representative of the Palestinian people at the UN.
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