PA political crisis looming
Palestinian Authority sources say Abbas may delay general elections and announce a state of emergency in light of the recent escalation in Gaza; Hamas in response: Those who are calling to delay the elections for security reasons are trying to avoid the elections and their results
Palestinian Authority sources have reported that Chairman Mahmoud Abbas may delay the general elections, which are scheduled for January, and announce a state of emergency in light of the recent escalation in violence in Gaza.
Hamas remains staunchly opposed to such a move.
“The Palestinian public demands that the elections be held on schedule, and it is also a requirement from a national standpoint, and those who are calling to delay them for security reasons are trying to avoid the elections and their results,” Hamas spokesman Mushir al-Masri said.
The PA general elections were initially scheduled to take place last July, but were pushed back due to Israel’s disengagement from Gaza and parts of the West Bank.
This delay also resulted in a PA-Hamas feud.
“The Authority must live up to its commitments; the Palestinian people will not accept another delay,” al-Masri said.
“The current strife can only be resolved through political cooperation and elections, and we must all act as one for the sake of the Palestinian nation.”
Three people, including the deputy chief of the Shati refugee camp police station, were killed in Gaza this week as clashes erupted between PA police forces and terrorists who refused to lay down their arms.
On Tuesday Hamas claimed PA police officers kidnapped two of its members in Shati.
'Drastic meaures needed'
Fatah members have also expressed their objection to the idea of delaying the elections, claiming such a move would mainly serve those who wish to maintain their positions of power.
In preparation for a vote on the future of the current Palestinian government, set to be held in the next few days, a special parliamentary committee recommended the Palestinian parliament vote no-confidence against Ahmed Qureia's government in order to topple it.
The committee was established a few weeks ago in order to discuss the deteriorating security situation in areas controlled by the Palestinian Authority, the security anarchy and the weapons anarchy.
It is estimated that Qureia will in fact head the next government, but PA sources said there is a chance he will be replaced, perhaps by PA ministers Nabil Shaath and Salam Fayed.
The committee said the Palestinian Authority chairman should take drastic measures in order to bring about change.
Hamas warning PA
"In order to effectively fight the deteriorating situation, the severe problems and deficiencies, the relations between Prime Minister Qureia and Chairman Abbas must be rehabilitated," the committee said in its recommendations.
Meanwhile, Egypt is working to ease tensions between the Palestinian factions and the PA. Representatives of the different factions held a round of talks in Damascus this week in an effort to end the strife.
Senior Hamas member Haled Mashal said the Palestinians must prevent a civil war from erupting, adding that the recent clashes between Hamas and the PA are the result of pressure applied by outside sources to divide the Palestinian nation and weaken Hamas.
Haled denounced U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice’s call to prevent Hamas from participating in the general elections, and the PA is not ruling out the possibility that Hamas’ recent show of force is aimed at warning the PA as to what might happen should the group be left out of the political process.
