Abbas urged to drop election plans

Palestinian socialists urge Mahmoud Abbas to drop a decision to hold elections without Hamas, urging a unilateral declaration on the borders of a Palestinian state.

"Let's benefit from the international atmosphere that supports a Palestinian state and urge a unilateral declaration on the borders of a Palestinian state," Palestinian People's Party (PPP) chief Bassam As-Salhi said on Wednesday.

The PPP has proposed the formation of a body comprising of members from the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) and the Palestinian National Council (PNC) to confront the 'constitutional crisis' of non-unity, As-Salhi said.

He said the proposal has been presented to acting Palestinian Authority chief Mahmoud Abbas and the head of the PNC, Salim Az-Za'nun.

The plan calls on the PLO Central Council to order the end of the term of the Hamas-dominated Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) and the Presidency and form a transitional committee of existing PLC members.

The council would be in charge of holding elections in all Palestinian areas which under a 'unilateral announcement' would proclaim borders and also review all international agreements which will be held to a public referendum 'as was stated in the national conciliation document,' As-Salhi explained.

The plan would also urge the United Nations to recognize declared Palestinian borders, and help enforce an end to the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and re-open Gaza ports and crossings.

Speaking to journalists on Tuesday in Cairo, Abbas said that he would announce January 24 as the election date in a Sunday decree despite opposition from the rival Hamas party.

Hamas has refused a request for a yes or no answer to a Cairo-brokered reconciliation plan due to serious issues with the document, and has called for more talks on the reservations they still had with Cairo.

The Islamic group later asked Egypt to postpone an earlier announced date of October 26 after the Palestinian Authority delegation at the UN Human Rights Council initially dropped its backing for an immediate vote on the Goldstone Gaza report.

Vice-Chairman of Hamas Political Bureau Mousa Abu Marzouq on Tuesday said the Islamic movement would resort to other options if Abbas 'makes the mistake of holding the elections'.