Ismail Haniyeh
Photo: AP
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas
Photo: AFP
Haniyeh blames Abbas for Goldstone scandal
Hamas PM calls Palestinian president's actions a betrayal, says he personally directed UN envoy to cancel discussion of report
Hamas
Prime Minister in the Gaza Strip Ismail Haniyeh blamed Monday Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas,
saying he personally directed the Palestinian envoy in Geneva to withdraw
the request to discuss the adoption of the Goldstone Report by the UN commission on Human Rights.
Haniyeh spoke during a specially convened press conference in Gaza, calling Abbas' actions unprecedented. Last week, Hamas accused the Palestinian Authority of betraying their people and of being accomplices in the Israeli plot to neutralize the Goldstone Report.
Studies were temporarily suspended in the Gaza Strip on Saturday, while many went out on the streets, protesting under the banner: "The big betrayal of Martyrs' blood."
Following the wave of criticism, Abbas ordered the establishment of an inquiry committee to examine the circumstances surrounding the decision to postpone discussion of the report. According to Palestinian sources, Abbas's actions were not enough to ward off the Arab world's anger, which might lead him to cancel his planned trip to Syria later this week.
