Hamas leader and MP Dr. Salah Al-Bardawil has accused Mahmoud Abbas, whose term in office as PA chief had expired last January, of bowing to Zio-American pressures and of being incapable of taking independent decisions.

Bardawil, in a press statement on Wednesday, said that Abbas carries out all American and Israeli dictates in return for financial and political promises.

For his part, Dr. Aziz Duwaik, the speaker of the Palestinian legislative council, has described Abbas's election decision as a nail in the coffin of the reconciliation and unity.

He said, in a press statement on Wednesday, that the situation in the West Bank was worsening due to the continued Abbas's militias campaigns against Hamas supporters.

In a related development, Abbas's militias kidnapped six Hamas supporters in the West Bank over the past couple of days in the districts of Nablus, Qalqilia, Al-Khalil and Ramallah.