PLO factions irked by Abbas’ unilateral decisions
Although the decision to join the International Criminal Court has been welcomed by all in the PLO, several factions are irritated that President Mahmoud Abbas was not consulting the PLO on such major decisions.
RAMALLAH, West Bank — Shortly after the UN Security Council rejected the amended Arab-supported Palestinian bill on the morning of Dec. 31, President Mahmoud Abbas was swift to sign the papers to join the International Criminal Court (ICC).
As Al-Monitor previously reported, this step falls within the plan by the Palestinian Authority (PA) to resort to the ICC in the event that the Security Council turned down its resolution demanding a time frame to end Israel’s occupation.
At a torch-lighting ceremony prior to signing the Rome Statute, Abbas said that the Security Council rejection of the resolution was “not the end of the road. As of tonight, we have new steps to take.”
“Yesterday was not the first or the last time that our bills were vetoed. However, we remain steadfast and we will carry on until we obtain our rights. They do not want to give us our rights, but rights are not given, they are taken,” Abbas said.
