Palestinian president ousts governors in West Bank, Gaza

By Zehra Nur Duz

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas issued a presidential decree Thursday to dismiss 12 governors in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, according to Palestinian state media.

“In the Gaza Strip, the Governors of North Gaza, Gaza, the Khan Yunis, and the Rafah were sent to retirement by the presidential decree,” said the official WAFA news agency.

In the West Bank, he ordered the removal of the governors of Jenin, Nablus, Qalqilya, Tulkarem, Bethlehem, Hebron, Tubas and Jericho.

Abbas also issued a presidential decree to establish a committee which is entitled to selecting candidates for governorships in question and recommending them to the president for a final decision, according to WAFA.