He is unpopular with the Palestinian public -- according to a recent poll, most Palestinians want him to resign -- and faces challenges within his party. His term as president of the Palestinian Authority, which began in January 2005, expired in 2009 but he remains in place as elections have not been held. Divisions between Fatah, which controls the West Bank, and Islamist Hamas, which holds Gaza, remain deep.
Lai gan viņa pilnvaru termiņš pašpārvaldes prezidenta amatā beidzies jau 2009.gadā, Abass joprojām atrodas šajā krēslā, jo jaunas vēlēšanas tā arī nav notikušas, pateicoties spriedzei, kas pastāv starp sekulāro "Fatah", kura kontrolē Rietumkrastu, un islāmistu kustību "Hamas", kas nostiprinājusi savu varu Gazas joslā.