Abbas, I resigned from PLO executive committee

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday said he tendered resignation of the executive committee of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) along with nine or ten members.

During a meeting with Polish journalists, Abbas described the executive committee as the "Palestinian State's Government" that represents the Palestinian people at home and in the diaspora.

The committee needs to be activated, the Palestinian president said. "An extraordinary meeting of the Palestinian National Council (PNC) will be held within a month."

Meanwhile, Abbas said that he would pay a visit to Tehran.

An executive committee member suggested the visit, and the proposal was widely welcomed in Iran, but the time is yet to be specified, he added.

Abbas described Iran as a "neighboring and sister state" adding that Tehran aims to launch normal relations with Palestine that has an embassy in the Iranian capital.

The Palestinian president also called on the international community to put an end to the Israeli violations against the Palestinian people.

The executive committee is the highest executive body of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), and the provisional government of the State of Palestine.

The executive committee represents the organization internationally. It represents the Palestinian people, supervises the various PLO bodies, executes the policies and decisions set out by the PNC, and handles the PLO's financial issues. It meets abroad and in the Palestinian territories.

The Executive Committee members hold special areas of responsibility, such as military matters, foreign affairs, finance and social affairs, making their role similar to that of ministers in a national government.