Abbas moves for Palestine to join 18 international treaties

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=751160

RAMALLAH (Ma'an) -- President Mahmoud Abbas signed letters to join nearly 20 international treaties -- including the Rome Statute that guarantees accession to the International Criminal Court -- Wednesday night, only a day after the UN Security Council rejected a resolution supporting an end to the Israeli occupation.

"We want to complain about the harm caused to us and to our land," Abbas said in a statement aired on state TV before he signed the agreements, according to Palestinian official news agency Wafa.

"But who shall we complain to? The Security Council refused our request. Where will we go? To the international organizations," he added.

The ICC can prosecute individuals accused of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes, and Palestinian plans to become a party to the court have been strongly opposed by Israel and the United States.

[oberliner]

1. Smart move

It seems like Abbas has a plan that could be effective here.

[2banon]

5. that's what I'm hoping.

[Peregrine]

2. Will Hamas, the true leaders of the Palestinians,

abide by those treaties?

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

3. Hamas is not a true anything, really, IMHO.

I'm not sure why you believe that they are, or do you believe that all Palestinians are somehow terrorists?

[oberliner]

6. They were democratically elected

Not sure why you wouldn't think they were true leaders, at least in Gaza.

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

7. That's not what the poster implied, and you know it.

Hamas is chump change.

[azurnoir]

9. do you believe that the GOP are the "true leaders" of the US rather than our Democratic POTUS?

because Hamas took a majority of seats in the Palestinian parliament, Abbas and Fatah hold the leadership position

somehow this a a deja vu feel to it

[oberliner]

10. The US has a different political system than the Palestinians

I think that the true leaders of the Palestinians can be found across a spectrum including Hamas, Fatah, and the various other factions.

[azurnoir]

11. the Palestinians held an election for the PM or leadership which as won by Abbas/Fatah

and an election for it's parliamentary positions in which Hamas took the majority of seats , there in lies the similarity to the US system

[The Shredder]

12. Seeing that the last elections were 2007...

and it is now 2015...

When are they going to hold another Presidential elections, seeing the last one was 2007, and the last effort to hold one was 2010.......

[oberliner]

13. Not true

Abbas is not the PM, he is the president. Abbas was chosen to be president by the PLO Central Council, not by a popular vote. There have not been presidential elections since 2005.

Abbas dismissed the PM, Haniyeh, in 2007 even though he was freely elected by the Palestinian people.

[azurnoir]

14. right Abbas was elected President the PA however Hamas are not the leaders of the Palestinians

and after the military coup by Hamas in Gaza Abbas dismissed Haniyeh as PM

[oberliner]

15. If new presidential elections are held today Haniyeh would receive 61% and Abbas 32% (Aug 2014)

If new presidential elections are held today and only two were nominated, Haniyeh, for the first time since we have started asking about his popularity about 8 years ago, would receive a majority of 61% and Abbas would receive 32%. Vote for Haniyeh stands at 53% in the Gaza Strip and 66% in the West Bank. Abbas receives 43% in the Gaza Strip and 25% in the West Bank. Two months ago, Abbas received the support of 53% in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip and Haniyeh 41%. The rate of participation in such elections would reach 71%. Level of satisfaction with the performance of Abbas decreases from 50% two months ago to 39% in this poll. Satisfaction with the performance of Abbas rises among supporters of the peace process (52%) compared to those who oppose the peace process (16%), among supporters of Fatah (86%) compared to supporters of Hamas and third parties (15% and 32% respectively), among those who are over 50 years of age (44%) compared to youth between the ages of 18 ad 28 (37%), and among the illiterates (63%) compared to those who hold a BA degree (33%). With regard to Abbas’ vote in the presidential elections, the vote increases among non-religious (66%) compared to the religious and the somewhat religious (25% and 36% respectively), among supporters of the peace process (46%) compared to those who are opposed to the peace process (8%), and among supporters of Fatah (89%) compared to supporters of Hamas and third parties (3% and 29% respectively).

If presidential elections were between Marwan Barghouti and Haniyeh, the former would receive 45% and the latter would receive 49% of the participants’ votes. This is the first time in 8 years in which Haniyeh receives more votes than Barghouti. In our previous poll, Barghouti received the support of 58% and Haniyeh 38%. The rate of participation in this case would reach 77%. If presidential elections were between three: Mahmud Abbas, Marwan Barghouti and Ismail Haniyeh, Haniyeh would receive 48% of the vote, Barghouti 29%, and Abbas 19%. The rate of participation in this case would reach 80%. In our previous poll in June 2014, Barghouti received 36% of the vote, Haniyeh 33%, and Abbas 28%.

If new legislative elections were held today with the participation of all factions, 78% say they would participate in such elections. Of those who would participate, 46% say they would vote for Hamas and 31% say they would vote for Fatah, 7% would vote for all other third parties combined, and 17% are undecided. Two months ago, vote for Hamas stood at 32% and for Fatah at 40%. Vote for Hamas in the Gaza Strip stands in this poll at 44% and in the West Bank at 47%. Vote for Fatah in the Gaza Strip stands in this poll at 36% and in the West Bank at 27%.

http://www.pcpsr.org/en/node/492

[azurnoir]

16. true enough the change ccomes after Operation Protective Edge this past summer doesn't it?

prior to that Abbas led Haniyeh, these current figures are very popular with those looking to justify continued occupation of the West Bank and siege of Gaza by Israel-thanks for providing us with them

[azurnoir]

8. do you believe that the GOP are the "true leaders" of the US rather than Democratic POTUS?

because Hamas took a majority of seats in the Palestinian parliament Abbas and Fatah took the leadership position

[2banon]

4. Excellent move.. Good on them.

maybe 60 + years late, and it may not bring about justice for them, but going through the motions is an important step.