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Abbas 'will not seek re-election' Abbas 'will not seek re-election'
(about 3 hours later)
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas will not seek re-election in polls next year, reports suggest. Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has announced that he will not seek re-election in polls in January.
Officials from the Palestine Liberation Organisation told journalists in the West Bank that Mr Abbas "insists on not running" in the 24 January election. In a televised speech, Mr Abbas said he had informed his Fatah movement and the Palestine Liberation Organisation, and was not ready to debate the issue.
An aide to Mr Abbas said earlier a lack of progress in peace talks with Israel and failure to achieve reconciliation with Hamas could prompt such a move. He also reiterated his belief that peace with Israel was "still possible".
But another aide said PLO officials were trying to change Mr Abbas' mind. Correspondents say Mr Abbas could stay in post for some time, however, as the election may be postponed because Hamas says it will not allow a vote in Gaza.
Yasser Abed Rabbo, a senior adviser to Mr Abbas, told AFP news agency that the PLO's executive committee had rejected his decision and said it would still support him in the election. Earlier, a spokesman for the Islamist group said the president's reluctance to run for re-election was "a message of reproach to his friends, the Americans and the Israelis".
Deadlock
Mr Abbas took over as head of the PLO after Yasser Arafat died in 2004, and became Palestinian Authority president a year later.
MAHMOUD ABBAS Born in Safed in British Mandate Palestine (now northern Israel) in 1935; studied law in Egypt and gained doctorate in MoscowA founder member, with Yasser Arafat, of Palestinian political faction FatahHeld security role within the PLO in the early 1970sAppointed head of the PLO's department for national and international relations in 1980Widely regarded as an architect of the 1993 Oslo Peace AccordsIn January 2005, elected president of the Palestinian Authority Profile: Mahmoud AbbasMAHMOUD ABBAS Born in Safed in British Mandate Palestine (now northern Israel) in 1935; studied law in Egypt and gained doctorate in MoscowA founder member, with Yasser Arafat, of Palestinian political faction FatahHeld security role within the PLO in the early 1970sAppointed head of the PLO's department for national and international relations in 1980Widely regarded as an architect of the 1993 Oslo Peace AccordsIn January 2005, elected president of the Palestinian Authority Profile: Mahmoud Abbas
Mr Abbas took over after Yasser Arafat died in 2004 and became Palestinian Authority president a year later.
But he has struggled to make headway towards a peace deal in negotiations with Israel, amid deadlock over the issue of Israeli settlements.But he has struggled to make headway towards a peace deal in negotiations with Israel, amid deadlock over the issue of Israeli settlements.
He has also faced rivalry from the Hamas movement, which won legislative elections in January 2006 and controls Gaza.He has also faced rivalry from the Hamas movement, which won legislative elections in January 2006 and controls Gaza.
Officials say they expect him to make a formal announcement later in the day.
In recent months Egypt has tried to broker a unity deal between Hamas and Fatah but its efforts have been unsuccessful so far.In recent months Egypt has tried to broker a unity deal between Hamas and Fatah but its efforts have been unsuccessful so far.
Mr Abbas had said he would call elections even if no unity deal was reached.Mr Abbas had said he would call elections even if no unity deal was reached.
The four-year term of the Palestinian Legislative Council, or parliament, is due to expire in January 2010, at which time fresh elections must be held, according to the Palestinian constitution.The four-year term of the Palestinian Legislative Council, or parliament, is due to expire in January 2010, at which time fresh elections must be held, according to the Palestinian constitution.
Mr Abbas' presidential term expired early this year. Mr Abbas' presidential term expired earlier this year.