Criticism over Abbas appointing himself head of the Palestinian National Fund
Headline: “Criticism of how Abbas took for himself the leadership of the Palestinian National Fund”
“Strong criticism was heard from Palestinian factions and forces following announcements by PLO Executive Committee Secretary, (Fatah Central Committee member, and PLO Chief Negotiator) Saeb Erekat on the distribution of roles and departments among members of the [PLO] Executive Committee. The most noticeable criticism was directed at the decision of the head of the organization’s Executive Committee, [PA Chairman] Mahmoud Abbas, to take for himself the position of the one responsible for the Palestinian National Fund, in addition to his decision to dismiss Executive Committee member [and Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) Political Bureau member] Tayseer Khaled from the [PLO] Department of Expatriates’ Affairs, and to appoint Fatah leader [and PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas' advisor on Foreign Affairs and International Relations] Nabil Shaath in his place. Clause 13 of the PLO regulations determines that ‘All members of the Executive Committee will be selected by the [Palestinian] National Council (i.e., the legislative body of the PLO). The head of the Executive Committee will be selected by the committee. The committee will be selected from within the National Council.’ …
Deputy Secretary-General of the Democratic Front [for the Liberation of Palestine] Qais Abd Al-Karim told [the UK Arab news website] Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that ‘This is the first time that the head of the PLO Executive Committee is taking for himself the role of head of the Palestinian National Fund.’ He added: ‘The National Council did not make a decision regarding the Palestinian National Fund, and neither did the [PLO] Central Council, and it is not within the authority of the Executive Committee and its chairman to determine who will be head of the National Fund.’”
“Strong criticism was heard from Palestinian factions and forces following announcements by PLO Executive Committee Secretary, (Fatah Central Committee member, and PLO Chief Negotiator) Saeb Erekat on the distribution of roles and departments among members of the [PLO] Executive Committee. The most noticeable criticism was directed at the decision of the head of the organization’s Executive Committee, [PA Chairman] Mahmoud Abbas, to take for himself the position of the one responsible for the Palestinian National Fund, in addition to his decision to dismiss Executive Committee member [and Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) Political Bureau member] Tayseer Khaled from the [PLO] Department of Expatriates’ Affairs, and to appoint Fatah leader [and PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas' advisor on Foreign Affairs and International Relations] Nabil Shaath in his place. Clause 13 of the PLO regulations determines that ‘All members of the Executive Committee will be selected by the [Palestinian] National Council (i.e., the legislative body of the PLO). The head of the Executive Committee will be selected by the committee. The committee will be selected from within the National Council.’ …
Deputy Secretary-General of the Democratic Front [for the Liberation of Palestine] Qais Abd Al-Karim told [the UK Arab news website] Al-Araby Al-Jadeed that ‘This is the first time that the head of the PLO Executive Committee is taking for himself the role of head of the Palestinian National Fund.’ He added: ‘The National Council did not make a decision regarding the Palestinian National Fund, and neither did the [PLO] Central Council, and it is not within the authority of the Executive Committee and its chairman to determine who will be head of the National Fund.’”