Abbas hails Egypt's new interim president

Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas on Thursday congratulated Adly Mansour on his appointment as Egypt's interim president a day after Mohamed Morsi was overthrown by the Egyptian army. "In the name of the Palestinian people and its leaders, I am honoured to congratulate you on assuming the leadership of the Arab Republic of Egypt in this transitory phase in its history," said Abbas in a statement published by the official WAFA news agency. He praised "the role played by the Egyptian armed forces commanded by General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in preserving the security of Egypt and stopping it from sliding towards an unknown fate". Abbas, who is currently on an official visit to Lebanon, also hailed "the role played by the Egyptian people... in saving Egypt and adopting a roadmap for its future at this decisive moment". In an editorial, Al-Quds, the West Bank's top-selling daily, warned against the dangers now facing Egypt, comparing it to the situation in Algeria in 1992 when the military cancelled the results of an election won by the Islamists, sparking a years-long bloody civil war. Morsi's government unravelled on Wednesday after the army gave him a 48-hour ultimatum in the wake of four days of mass demonstrations against his turbulent rule.