Yasser Abed Rabbo

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas resigned on Aug. 22 as head of the Palestine Liberation Organisation's Executive Committee in a bid to force new elections for the top body, an official said.

The Palestinians slammed Israelis on March 18 for voting for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's rightwing Likud party, saying they had chosen "occupation and settlement building" over peace talks.
      

Benjamin Netanyahu swept to a stunning election victory on March 18, securing a third straight term for an Israeli leader who has deepened tensions with the Palestinians and infuriated key ally Washington.

The Palestinian leadership, along with Hamas and Islamic Jihad, are willing to observe a 24-hour ceasefire in the war-torn Gaza Strip, a senior PLO official said on Tuesday.