The president's convoy came under a hail of gunfire after he disregarded a menacing ultimatum from renegade Palestinian security forces, urging him to declare war on Israel.
Abbas holds the position of Chairman of the Palestinian Liberation Organization, or PLO, which governs the West Bank territory. Notably, the Palestine Authority president does not endorse the terrorist group Hamas, which controls the besieged Gaza Strip.
Local media reported that "one of Abbas' bodyguards was shot, and the attack was claimed by the organization known as 'Sons of Abu Jandal.'"
This group is alleged to have operated within the Palestinian security establishment in the West Bank. They had previously given President Abbas a 24-hour ultimatum to initiate hostilities against Israel following Israel's military actions in Gaza, a separate Palestinian territory.
If the attack indeed targeted the president's life, it signifies an escalation in internal conflicts among Palestinian factions. READ MORE