RAMALLAH – Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud
Abbas has dismissed most of the governors in the occupied West Bank in response
to long-standing demands for a political shake-up amid growing frustration. On
Thursday, Abbas issued a decree that removed the governors of eight provinces
under Palestinian administration in the occupied territory, Al Jazeera
reported.
اضافة اعلان
This upheaval affected the northern cities of Nablus, Jenin,
and Tulkarem, which have seen a recent increase in Palestinian armed resistance
undermining the PA’s leadership. The governors of Qalqilya, Tulkarem,
Bethlehem, Hebron, Tubas, and Jericho were also removed, the official WAFA news
agency reported.
Abbas’s decree also included the firing of four governors in
the besieged Gaza Strip, whose roles have remained symbolic since the 2007
Hamas takeover of the enclave.
Only three areas, including Ramallah, the seat of the
internationally recognized PA, retained their governors. The president’s office
stated that he would establish a committee to suggest replacements.
Others, like the former governor of Jericho, Jihad Abu Al-Asal,
acknowledged that while they had expected an overhaul due to growing demands
for change, Thursday's decree still came as a surprise.
However, none expressed dissent with the president's
decision. Asal stated, "Even if we don’t understand all the reasons for
it, we will comply."
While the decision might not have an immediate impact on the
ground, experts suggested that it indicates Abbas's acknowledgment of the PA's
increasing unpopularity and his willingness to respond to calls for change.
Meanwhile, Palestinians have not had the chance to vote in
national elections since 2006 and Abbas’ original four-year term technically
expired in 2009.
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