Tension between the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Salam Fayyad is expected to reach new heights following an interview Fayyad gave the Washington Post, and that was published over the weekend.

In the interview – which bore the marks of a political campaign launch, Fayyad claimed that Abbas and Hamas are working in unison to prevent elections, and declares for the first time that he does not rule out running as a presidential candidate.

Over the past year, relations between Abbas and Fayyad have reached a new low. Two months ago, Fayyad refused to lead a Palestinian delegation charged with delivering a letter from Abbas to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Fayyad thought the move was senseless and useless, and informed Abbas he was not willing to take part in it.

Since them, Abbas has been operating in several channels to try and oust Fayyad from his post – despite the heavy international fallout such a step could bring to the Palestinian Authority. In Washington and European capitals – the biggest donors to the Palestinian Authority – Fayyad is considered a professional, moderate and honest figure.

For more, go to Haaretz.com

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