Abbas would retain his most necessary publish, as president of the Palestinian self-rule authorities.

Ramallah: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and US Secretary of State John Kerry will meet at the United Nations in New York in October, a Palestinian official said. Rumors had been swirling that the 80-year-old plans to step down as president as a result of all roads to Palestinian statehood seem blocked.

The Oslo Accords were signed between the Israeli regime and the PLO during the early-mid 1990s to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and to guarantee the Palestinians’ right of self determination.

Shtayyeh predicted that the PNC, which is expected to meet on September 14 and 15 in Ramallah, would reject Abbas’s plans to resign from the PLO Executive Committee. Traditionally, the committee has elected the head of the PLO. He has not designated a successor, though he has given increasing responsibilities to veteran Palestinian peace negotiator Saeb Erekat in recent months.

Abbas resigned on Tuesday as Chair of Palestine’s Liberation Organisation (PLO) executive committee, along with nine additional committee members, and declared to quit politics soon.

The poor support for the potential leaders reflects the political crisis experienced for years in the West Bank and Gaza, where no elections have been held since 2006.

Palestinian analyst Majed Sweilim said he believes Abbas is preparing for a gradual exit, but wants to have control over who will eventually succeed him.

According to a survey taken in August by the Jerusalem Center for Media and Communication, the leader who has the most approval among Palestinians as a possible replacement for Abbas is Marwan Barghouti, with 10.5 percent.