Abbas vetoes Samhadana appointment
Palestinian leader's aide says controversial security appointment to be nullified; Hamas: Decision means continuation of PA anarchy
A day after Popular Resistance Committees head Jamal Abu Samhadana was appointed as the PA Interior Ministry director-general, Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas reportedly decided to veto the controversial appointment, amid Israeli and American criticism.
A presidential decree obtained by Reuters said Abbas had cancelled the decision because it violated previous laws. "All security leaders, officers and members of the security services are ordered not to deal with these decisions and regard them as if they never happened," the decree stated.
Earlier, Taib Abdel Rahim, Abbas' aide, made it clear the PA chairman does not intend the let the appointment, announced Thursday by Interior Minister on behalf of Hamas Said Siyam, to go through.
According to Rahim, a letter on the matter will be sent from Abbas' office to Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh from the Hamas.
"The letter will note that the decision is illegal…the chairman will issue a presidential decree to annul the appointment," he said, and added that the decision to appoint Samhadana was unclear and that Abbas will seek clarifications from the Hamas-led government.
Hamas Interior Ministry spokesman Khaled Abu Hilal said the decisions would stand.
"We are not interested in any confrontation and we will seek to resolve differences (with Abbas) through dialogue," he said.
Hamas officials expressed their regrets over Abbas' decision. Hamas Spokesman Sami Abu Zahri said that the meaning of the decision is a continuation of the security anarchy. Hamas sources said that the decision to appoint Samhadana and to establish a special security organization did not constitute an interference in Abbas' authorities.
"The interior minister's decision was aimed at dealing with the security situation and the security anarchy, and any interference in this decision means a continuation of the security anarchy, harming the Palestinian government's authorities and removing its ability to stop the security anarchy in the Palestinian Authority," Abu Zahri said.
Another Hamas spokesman, Salah al-Bardaweil, said that "Abbas made the decision in a bid to satisfy his advisors."
On Thursday it was reported that Samhadana, the number two figure on Israel's most wanted list and the man behind most rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip, was appointed to the top Interior Ministry post, which controls the Palestinian security organizations.
On Friday, Samhadana made it clear he has no intention to stop fighting against Israel despite the government appointment.
The various Palestinian factions and security forces will be uniting in the face of Israel's daily aggression against the Palestinian people, Samhadana said.
