An advisor to President Mahmoud Abbas denied on Saturday reports claiming Abbas was planning to leave Palestine and coordinate its politics from abroad. Nimir Hamad said "the news about Abbas leaving Palestine due to fear of being targeted by Israel, as happened to (former Palestinian leader Yasser) Arafat, is not true at all." Hamad accused Israel of inciting against Abbas and his leadership. He cited remarks by right-wing members of Benjamin Netanyahu's government blaming Abbas as an "obstacle" to the peace process.