PLO to Abbas: Dissolve government
Group’s Executive Committee recommends Abbas declare early elections for Palestinian presidency, Legislative Council to end political impasse with Hamas; advisor to PM Haniyeh: No one has the right to disband the government
The Executive Committee of the Palestinian Liberation Organization has recommended Saturday that President Mahmoud Abbas declare early elections for the presidency and the Legislative Council in a bid to bring an end to the political impasse with Hamas regarding the establishment of a unity government.
Abbas’ associates said the president prefers to wait for Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh’s return to the Authority before reaching a final decision on the matter.
The president is expected to deliver a speech to the Palestinian nation following an expected meeting with Haniyeh. The PLO did however leave the door open for a compromise with Hamas on a unity government.
Dr. Ahmed Yusef, an advisor to PM Haniyeh of Hamas, said that there is no meaning to the suggestion of moving up elections, made by the PLO's Executive Committee to Abbas.
In a conversation with al-Jazeera, Yusef said that no one has the right to disband the government. According to him, members of the Executive Committee ‘do not represent anything.’
Similarly, Hamas spokesman Ismail Rudwan said Abbas has no authority to declare early elections and urged a resumption of talks for a new, joint government.
"We will not allow any coup against this government," he said. "Any option other than a unity government will lead the Palestinian situation to more deterioration. The only solution is to resume the dialogue for a unity government.
'Deal could have been struck months ago'
Hamas has accused Fatah of attempting to carry out a coup against the Palestinian government, saying a number of Fatah members have refused to accept the election results and therefore refuse to compromise on their stance regarding the ministerial portfolios in the new government.
However, sources in Fatah said it is Hamas that is unwilling to compromise. “We would be willing to give up the Finance and Foreign Affairs portfolios, as long as these posts would be given to people who are accepted by the international community so the economic siege on the Authority would be lifted,” one Fatah member said.
“But Hamas rejected every compromise while waiting for the ceasefire to decrease the pressure on the government and grant Hamas international and internal recognition. If they really wanted to strike a deal, it could have been done months ago, and within a few hours.”
About a week ago the PLO's Executive Committee called Abbas to exercise his powers in order to resolve the political crisis in the Palestinian Authority and also called on Haniyeh to resign his post, in order to pave the way for the establishment of a national unity government.
A statement issued by the Committee declared that the failure to establish a unity government stems from obstacles placed by Hamas, which insisted on having the next government affiliated, predominately, with Hamas.
"The organization's (Hamas') demands would not allow for a lifting of the economic blockade imposed on the Palestinian Authority, since there is no clear commitment by the organization to recognize previously-signed treaties with Israel and the Arab peace initiative," the statement read.
Reuters contributed to this article
