The Palestinian Authority's official news agency published comments on Sunday (Oct 15) by President Mahmoud Abbas that criticised Hamas over its actions but later removed reference to the militant group without providing an explanation.
The comments, published by Wafa on its website, came during a phone call between Abbas and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. The two discussed Israel's bombardment of Gaza following Hamas' deadly rampage through Israeli cities.
Several hours later, the phrase was adjusted to read: "The president also stressed that the policies, programmes, and decisions of the PLO represent the Palestinian people as their sole legitimate representative, and not the policies of any other organisation." Abbas' Palestinian Authority exercises limited self-rule in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. He has long been opposed to Hamas, which seized control of Gaza in 2007 and ousted Fatah party forces loyal to Abbas. Years of reconciliation talks between the rivals have failed to reach a breakthrough.
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