Abbas - expected to make dramatic decisions soon
Photo: AP
A-Zahar (top) - Hamas unafraid
Photo: AP
PA crisis: Waiting for Abbas' speech
Abbas expected to announce course of action in coming days, may dismiss parliament and gov't over failed unity talks
The failed efforts to form a unity government have thrown the Palestinian Authority into an even deeper political crisis. President Mahmoud Abbas is expected to address the Palestinian people in the coming days, perhaps as early as Tuesday, to explain the steps he plans on taking.
Hamas officials, including Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh and Foreign Affairs Minister Mahmoud a-Zahar, have already announced the failure of the unity talks. Both sides have maintained a blame and slander campaign against their rivals: Refugee Minister Atef Adwan has accused Abbas of causing dissension, to which Abbas responded by saying that the integrity and political purity of several government ministers was questionable.
Estimates in the PA on Tuesday morning indicate that Abbas will hold a last round of meetings with faction representatives before making a series of decisions described as 'significant and dramatic'. Abbas may announce these decisions in his upcoming speech. Numerous international figures, including US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and various European and Arab leaders have voiced their support of Abbas, emphasizing that they will support any decision he makes – even if that decision means dismissing the government and taking on Hamas.
President Abbas' associates say that he is not interested in confrontation – however he is also not interested in seeing the current situation continue. Only a positive move on Hamas' part regarding the kidnapped soldier Cpl. Gilad Shalit or a show of compromise on their part regarding the government portfolios in the unity government can prevent or delay the severe moves Abbas may resort to.
As for Hamas, no one seems to be getting too excited at the moment. Minister a-Zahar has said that Abbas is the one who signed the unity effort's death certificate, and that Hamas will not agree to return to unity talks, should they be renewed, based on the same principles. Hamas continue to insist on the high-ranking portfolios and a-Zahar emphasized that so long as there is no unity government – the current government will remain.
