General News
11/8/2009 1:01 PM ET
(RTTNews) -
Loyalists of the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas turned out in various parts of West Bank on Sunday following announcement that he would not be seeking another term in office. The participants carried yellow Fatah flags and red, white, green and black Palestinian flags.
Abbas made his decision in protest over Washington's failure to support his demand for a complete building freeze and recognize the two-state solution as preconditions for the resumption of peace negotiations with Israel.
"It appears they do not want peace, and they don't want to stop settlement, and they don't want the vision of two-states, so I don't know what they want," he said.
Earlier on Thursday, in a speech broadcast live from his headquarters in the West Bank city of Ramallah, the 74-year-old PLO leader, said he has "no desire"to run in the forthcoming election, slated for January 24.
The Palestine Liberation Organization, which Abbas heads, has rejected his announcement, urging him to stay on.
Meanwhile, Israeli President Shimon Peres expressed concern over Abbas's announcement that he would not stand for another term.
by RTT Staff Writer
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