GAZA, January 6 (RIA Novosti) - The leader of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), Mahmoud Abbas, signed a decree on Saturday to change PNA to “the State of Palestine,” the official WAFA news agency reported.
It was the first concrete move by the Palestinian leadership after the UN General Assembly voted in November 2012 to recognize the Palestinian Authority (PA) as a non-member observer state. The vote amounts to an implicit recognition of the Palestinian statehood.
“The decree… envisages changing the Palestinian National Authority name to “the State of Palestine” in all official documents, on stamps and government agency plaques. Changes will also be introduced to the Palestinian coat of arms,” the agency reported.
Abbas also said he changes his title to the president of the state.
Palestinian post stamps, orders, medals and letterheads will also be changed to bear the new name.