By Iqbal Jassat
Abbas, whose four-year term expired in 2009, has stubbornly refused to accept demands for fresh elections. In effect, the general view is that he has shut the door on reform of the undemocratic PA.
South Africa’s solidarity movements have raised concerns about the Palestinian Authority’s (PA) role in the struggle against Zionism and the recent genocide in Gaza. Led by Mahmoud Abbas, the PA, a construct of the Oslo Accords, has limited power and is compared to apartheid-era ‘Bantustans’.
The Oslo Accords have failed to deliver independence to Palestine in over three decades. The PA’s absence during the ongoing genocide in Gaza led to criticisms of its inaction. Despite global outrage, the PA has not intervened to defend innocent civilians.
Critics like Awni Almashni accuse the PA of being absent and lacking in resistance against Israel’s atrocities. The PA’s alignment with certain countries has further degraded its global standing.
– Iqbal Jassat is an Executive Member of the South Africa-based Media Review Network. He contributed this article to The Palestine Chronicle. Visit: www.mediareviewnet.com