Palestine: Abbas Clings to His Office --- Indefinitely?

The Palestine Liberation Organization Central Council is expected to convene in Ramallah on Tuesday to vote on extending Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas's term in office until new elections are held. The council is also scheduled to approve the extension of the term of the Palestinian Legislative Council, whose 132 members were elected for four years in January 2006.

After the Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas's bluffs that he was not to run for next elections, the PLO Central Council --- packed with Abbas loyalists --- has put an end to that game. Now, the next one: will elections occur soon or is Abbas now installed as a President without an end to his term?