Failure of Cairo dialogue unaccepted for Palestinian PM's advisor

Wednesday October 08, 2008 18:03 by Rami Almeghari - IMEMC & Agencies

Hamas advisor to the Palestinian Prime Minister, Mr. Ahmad Yousef, said on Wednesday that failure of the underway dialogue in Cairo can not be accepted by the Palestinian people.

Advisor of Palestinian Prime Minister of Hamas, Ahmad Yousef

In an emailed press statement, Yousef maintained that if Egyptian mediators will be able to reach a common ground among the rival Palestinian factions, mainly between Hamas and Fatah, “we will thus overcome a major obstacle in the path of national unity.”

According to Yousef, the five major criterions for a successful dialogue for the ruling Hamas party are; forming a national unity government, returning the situation back prior to June14, 2007, dealing with all division-related problems, holding presidential and parliamentary elections and reconstructing the Palestinian security services on a professional and national basis.

The advisor further explained that "Such internal fighting with all its political and security dimensions require a third party like Egypt to pressure all parties concerned into a national consensus that protects the Palestinian national interests from being scattered."

He slammed statements by the head of Fatah's parliamentary bloc, Azzam Alahmad, over the legality of president Abbas's office after January 08, 2009 as 'illogic'.

"The Palestinian people have the right to say their word regarding renewal or non-renewal of their president's term in office after January 2009."

Yousef's remarks produced controversy among the rival Fatah and Hamas parties over the legality of President Mahmoud Abbas's post, which continues to rise as both factions' representatives are meeting in Cairo in a bid to end differences.

Fatah and Hamas have been at loggerheads since Hamas took power after January 2006's parliamentary elections.

In February 2007, they formed a national unity government, yet four months later fighting escalated, ending with Hamas seizing control of Gaza and Abbas installing a Fatah-loyal government in the West Bank.

gaza strip | palestinian politics | news report rami at imemc dot org