Former Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia (Abu Ala) and other senior Fatah members may resign from the faction’s list ahead of the general election in protest of their weakened position.
Sources close to Qureia
have expressed their indignation over the recent consolidation of the two Fatah lists, which forces veteran members to run independently for their place in the party.
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Qureia also objects to holding the elections without the participation of east Jerusalem Palestinians.
Tensions in Fatah are rising ahead of the Palestinian Court’s decision on whether to permit the faction to submit a unified candidates list headed by Marwan Barghouti instead of the two separate lists.
E.U. threatens to pull financial support
Meanwhile, thousands of Hamas members held a rally in Gaza Friday to mark 18 years since the group’s inception. A larger turnout was expected, and organizers planned to mark Hamas’ campaign against the delaying of the elections, but many members stayed home due to the heavy rains and the group’s senior members did not attend due to security considerations.
Hamas rally in Gaza (Photo: Reuters)
Those who did turn out for the rally chanted slogans against Israel, the U.S. and the European Union, and Hamas spokesmen said during the rally that a period of calm similar to the one that prevailed until about a month ago would is not an option, adding that Israel continued its assassination policy despite the calm.
Hamas spokesmen criticized the U.S. and the E.U. for demanding that the group be excluded from the PA general elections; the E.U. is even threatening to pull its financial support unless Hamas is disarmed.
The Hamas members, for their part, demanded that PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas abide by his commitment to allow all Palestinian organizations to participate in the elections.
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