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Mashaal outraged
Photo: AP
'A non-factor.' Abbas
Photo: AFP

Hamas leader rejects early elections

Mashaal says calling early parliamentary elections a violation of Palestinian law; PRC: Abbas already a non-factor

Khaled Mashaal, the Hamas politiburo chief exiled in Syria is dismissing the Palestinian president's threat to hold simultaneous elections for president and parliament early next year, unless the militant group begins reconciliation talks.

 

The two warring Palestinian factions were supposed to meet in Cairo for a round of Egyptian-mediated talks, but these were canceled after Hamas announced its intention to boycott them in protest of Fatah's refusal to release 400 operatives imprisoned in the West Bank. 

 

Fatah negotiators were hoping that negotiations would be renewed in late November, a hope that has not materialized to date.    

 

Pursuant to Fatah threats to move up elections, the Hamas leader warned on Monday that any call for both balloting would be considered a violation of the law.

 

Hamas claims Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' term expires January 9. The group says he can call presidential elections then, but not parliament elections to replace the Hamas-dominated legislature.

 

Barring a new election, the parliamentary make-up will remain as is until January 2010, when the official vote is scheduled after a four-year term.

 

'Palestinian president represents himself'

Abbas' threat to call both parliamentary and presidential elections was seen as an attempt to pressure Hamas and pave the way for Abbas, who is affiliated with Fatah, to extend his term by at least another year.

 

Hamas and its affiliated Palestinian factions said Abbas does not represent them in any way.

 

Popular Resistance Committees' (PRC) spokesman Abu Abir told Ynet that the group "will not respect any agreement signed by Abbas," adding that the Palestinian president represents "himself, his aides and maybe a small segment of the Palestinian population, mainly in the West Bank.

 

"The majority of Palestinians do not recognize Abbas and will not recognize any agreement or any other document signed by him," he said. "These documents won’t be worth the paper they are written on."

 

The PRC spokesman continued to say that "Abbas is already a non-factor as far as we're concerned, so he will certainly not be a factor once his term ends in 45 days."

 

Senior Hamas leader in Gaza Mahmoud al-Zahar slammed the Palestinian Liberation Organization's recent decision to appoint Abbas "President of the State of Palestine", saying it was a symbolic gesture aimed at solidifying Abbas' presidential status ahead of a possible de-legitimization campaign by Hamas.

 

Earlier on Monday Abbas said Hamas' rule over Gaza would be short-lived.

 

Reuters contributed to this report

 


פרסום ראשון: 11.24.08, 21:03
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