Al-Zahar. Forming opinion
Photo: AP
Abbas. Welcomed Libyan move
Photo: AP
Hamas considering delaying reconciliation
Palestinian group may avoid signing agreement with rival Fatah movement in response to PA's decision to defer UN vote on Goldstone Report. 'How can we shake the hand of people who helped those who committed crimes in Gaza evade the international law system?' asks senior Hamas member
The Hamas
movement is considering asking Egypt
to delay a meeting of rival Palestinian factions and the signing of a reconciliation agreement scheduled for October 26, following the Palestinian Authority's decision to defer
a United Nations Human Rights Council vote on the Goldstone Report, which accused
Israel
and Hamas of committing war crimes in Gaza.
Senior Hamas member Dr. Salah Bardawil urged the organization, from within the Palestinian parliament, not to take part in the conference.
Senior Hamas member in the Strip, Dr. Mahmoud al-Zahar, said Wednesday that his movement was forming its opinion following the PA's handling of the report. Sources in Hamas called on the organization's leaders not to attend the meeting in protest of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' stance on the matter.
Political Crisis
Aziz Duwaik, Hamas man recently released from Israeli prison, calls for establishment of national Palestinian commission to probe PA's conduct on Goldstone Report, urges Arab League to manage interim period following Abbas' dismissal
"How will we shake the hands of people who helped those who committed the crimes in Gaza evade the international law system?" he asked.
Other senior movement members said it would be hard to carry out a meeting of handshakes with people who cooperates with Israel in torpedoing the Goldstone Report.
Nonetheless, the Hamas organization has yet to form a final opinion, and there are those within the movement who believe Egypt must not be asked to postpone the conference.
Azzam al-Ahmad, head of the Fatah faction in the parliament, who is representing his movement in the talks, said that Hamas was seeking to take advantage of the wave of protest over the handling of the Goldstone Report in order to make political gains and evade the commitments of the Palestinian dialogue.
The UN Security Council was expected to convene Wednesday evening for consultations, in order to decide whether or not to accept Libya's request to discuss the Goldstone Report. Abbas welcomed the Libyan move on Tuesday, saying that it supports the rights of the Palestinian people.
