How Abbas handpicks his ambassadors

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas selects ambassadors based on their loyalty to him rather than their interest in furthering the Palestinian cause.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and his foreign minister Riyad al-Maliki (R) arrive for an Arab League Foreign Ministers emergency meeting at the league's headquarters in Cairo September 7, 2014. Arab foreign ministers meeting in Cairo on Sunday are expected to issue a resolution backing Iraqi efforts to confront militants who have overrun large areas of Iraq and Syria and declared a cross-border Islamic caliphate, diplomats said. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany (EGYPT - Tags: POLITICS) - RTR458TQ
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and his Foreign Minister Riyad Maliki (R) arrive for an Arab League foreign ministers’ emergency meeting at the league's headquarters in Cairo, Sep. 7, 2014. - REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany
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Adnan Abu Amer
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The Palestinian Authority (PA) is switching up some important diplomatic appointments, including its ambassadors to the United States and United Kingdom, causing speculation as to why, and once again raising criticism of the way ambassadors are named.

The Palestinian Maan News Agency wrote Oct. 18 that PA President Mahmoud Abbas reached the decision to change the diplomatic lineup after consulting with Foreign Minister Riyad Malki. Since then, Abbas has appointed new ambassadors to the United States, United Kingdom, the Netherlands and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

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