By Xinhua,
Gaza : Hamas-dominated Palestinian parliament on Sunday said it will not recognize Mahmoud Abbas as a Palestinian president as soon as his term ends in January 2009.
“In Jan. 9, 2009, Abbas’ term ends and the presidency moves to the speaker of the Legislative Council for 60 days before holding new elections to select a new president,” said Deputy Speaker Ahmed Barah.
“If Abu Mazen (Abbas) stayed as a president after January, he will be a power rapist,” Bahar added.
Bahar remarks were made after a Palestinian advisory body ruled that Abbas’ term can extends until the end of the parliament’s term. Hamas won the four-year parliament term after defeating the long-parliament-dominant Abbas’ Fatah in the 2006 elections.
Differences between Hamas and Fatah, started after the parliamentary elections, stepped up until the two sides fought each other in June 2007.
Hamas routed pro-Abbas forces and took over Gaza Strip during the fighting and Abbas moved his authorities to the West Bank where he formed a new government bypassing the Hamas-controlled parliament.