Erekat claims IDF general is 'acting Palestinian president'

Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) Secretary-General Saeb Erekat on Monday claimed that the “acting president” of the Palestinians is none other than IDF General Yoav Mordechai, the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), a Defense Ministry unit which coordinates civilian issues between the Israeli government, the IDF, international organizations, diplomats, and the Palestinian Authority (PA).

The reason for this, claimed Erekat, is that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu is controlling the Palestinians through the Civil Administration for Judea and Samaria, making Mordechai acting president and not PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas.