Fatah's spokesperson: Hamas needs to retract 'coup' before early elections

Sunday December 09, 2007 14:19 by Rami Almeghari - IMEMC&Agencies

Spokesperson of the secular Fatah party, Ahmad Abdelrahman, demanded Hamas to retract what he calls a ' coup against legitimacy in Gaza', before going to early elections.

Fatah's Spokesperson, Ahmad Abdelrhaman

Abdelrahman's statement came in response to a recent public opinion poll, which found that more than 70 percent of respondents want dissolution of the Palestinian parliament and going to early elections.

" We are aware that the Palestinian people want an early election as a way out of current political turmoil, however, we deem a Hamas' renunciation of its coup in Gaza, first and foremost".

He believes that such a wish is difficult to realize for what he considers ' Hamas leaders' belief that the June coup was a legitimate move, maintaining that the only out of such a situation is putting an end to the Hamas control over the coastal region.

Replying to a question by Palestine Radio station today morning, whether it is necessary that Hamas commit to the PLO's platform?., Abdelrahman was quoted as saying:

" Hamas, right after winning the parliamentary elections last January, has surprised the whole world by rebuffing the PLO's platform, which has helped make peace with Israel. Therefore, Hamas has been isolated by the international community".

The Fatah leader referred to the Mecca Hamas-Fatah deal, which was signed in February,2007, pointing out " even after the Mecca deal was reached, the international community's position towards Hamas remained in place, due to Hamas' insistence not to accept previously signed agreements".

Abdelrahman says that the current situation in Gaza, mainly the siege and closure of the coastal Strip, has been doubled with the Hamas control over the region, since the mid June's 'coup'.

In the backdrop of such remarks, representatives of both Hamas and Fatah have been reportedly meeting in the Saudi Arabia city of Riyadh, in a bid to revive a deadlocked Hamas-Fatah dialogue, after Hamas took over Gaza in June.

Hamas had earlier denied media reports on Hamas readiness to renounce control over some ministerial portfolios, in return for renewed dialogue with the rival Fatah party.

In mid June, the Islamist Hamas-linked forces wrested control over Gaza amidst fighting with Fatah-loyal security forces, closing a chapter of several-month-long power struggle with president Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah.

Abbas outlawed the group in the wake of what he termed a 'coup against legitimacy' and formed a Fatah-loyal caretaker government in Ramallah.

Hamas, which won last January's legislative elections, does not recognize Israel, renounce violence or accept Israel-PLO signed peace accords. Since then, the international community and Israel have placed the group under widespread isolation.

ramallah | palestinian politics | news report rami at imemc dot org