Mahmoud Abbas, on a bloodstained day, Saturday September 6, shattering the little hope that was left for peace in the troubled region.
The announcement, seen as a major blow for the U.S. backed peace plan known as ‘The Roadmap’, came as Israel wounded Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, the spiritual leader of the Islamic militant movement Hamas, and about 14 other people in an air strike in the Gaza Strip, medics said.
Reuters news agency quoted Hamas officials as saying that the wheel-chair-bound Yassin, a co-founder of Hamas, "had left a house moments before a missile struck it in a densely populated area in Gaza City and was treated in hospital for a slight hand wound."
The apparent assassination attempt by Israel was also seen as a warning for President Arafat, who Jerusalem and Washington have linked to terrorism, despite please of an angry Abbas to hand over control over security forces.
FIGHT WITH ARAFAT
Analysts have linked Abbas’s resignation to his fight with Arafat over power and security arrangements with militant organizations such as Hamas, which has been linked to suicide bombings such as last month’s attack in Jerusalem, that killed 21 Israelis including five children.
Hamas is opposed to the state of Israel and has carried out suicide bombings that is believed to have killed hundreds of Israelis since a Palestinian uprising began almost three years ago.
Frustrated over his apparent lack of control over Hamas and other organizations, Abbas had reportedly hinted at his resignation on Thursday, September 4, when he asked the Palestinian Legislative Council to either give him a renewed mandate to stay in power or "to take it back".
CARETAKER PRIME MINISTER?
The Voice of America (VOA) quoted Palestinian officials as saying that Arafat asked Abbas to serve as a caretaker prime minister until a new Palestinian cabinet is formed. But Israel has already said it will not accept "an Arafat appointed" successor of Abbas, reports said.
Yet there were fears that the political vacuum would be used by militant groups to increase their power base.
As the wounded were rushed to the hospital of Saturday’s Israeli attack against Hamas, hundreds of its supporters were seen chanting revenge.
