Not satisfied: Abbas
Photo: Reuters
Abbas tells Hamas to clarify stance
PA Chairman dissatisfied with Hamas response to calls to recognize PA's past agreements with Israel, calls Hamas stance unclear
PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas told Hamas leaders on Saturday that the organization’s response to his call for a future government to go down the path of peace was “too dim.”
Hamas admitted that it deliberately projecting a hazy message in order not to harm international aid.
According to Palestinian sources, Hamas’ designated prime minister Ismail Haniyeh sent a letter to Abbas, responding to the PA chairman’s demand that a future Palestinian government recognize agreements signed with Israel.
“Haniyeh’s letter included dim expressions regarding Hamas’ stance on all to do with agreements with Israel,” said a senior Palestinian leader. Another source reported that in the latter, Haniyeh said that Hamas would treat the agreements in a way “that would not harm the rights of the Palestinian people.”
The source added that Haniyeh hinted in his letter that the future government is intending to reassess agreements with Israel.
According to the source, Abbas told Hamas that their stance was unclear and unsatisfactory, and agreed to continue meetings until Hamas changed its political base upon which the government will be assembled.
Abbas called on Hamas to adopt his vision regarding negotiations which will lead to peace with Israel, and gave Hamas two further weeks to clarify their stance on the matter. Abbas must authorize Hamas’ political program before it can present the next government for parliament’s approval.
Hamas rejected the claims that their stance was dim. Haniyeh said that Hamas has a clear stance on issues with which it will have to deal with, including the diplomatic front, but added that Hamas is deliberately showing some fogginess over the issue, in order not to play into the hands of elements in the international community calling on funds to the PA to be cut.
Meetings unproductive
Meanwhile, talks on assembling the Palestinian government held between Hamas and Fatah have failed. Sourced told Ynet that the talks continue unofficially, and that direct meetings did not take place.
Senior Fatah members said over the weekend that chances were very low for Fatah to join the government, due to Hamas’ foggy stance on the diplomatic course with Israel, and political issues discussed by both sides.
Hamas said that if Fatah did not join the government, it would be ready to deal with all of the challenges it faced on its own, including the building of an axis of international support which will continue to back the PA.
Haniyeh said that Hamas has recently held intensive talks with elements in the European Union, Japan, and other countries, in order to continue economic aid to the new government.
News agencies contributed to this report
