GAZA CITY, 3 July 2005 — Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has invited Islamist factions, including the resistance group Hamas, to join his government before next month’s Israeli pullout from the Gaza Strip, a Palestinian Authority official said yesterday. Israel condemned the idea, which would mark the first time armed groups have been part of a Palestinian Cabinet. Israel and the United States have demanded Abbas disarm and dismantle militant organizations, as dictated by a US-backed “road map” to peace.
Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said his faction would discuss the offer and “announce its decision in suitable time.” However, Islamic Jihad leader Nafez Azzam said his group had rejected the invitation, saying it “would not take part in a Palestinian government as long as (Israeli) occupation exists.”
Samir Al-Mashrawi, a Palestinian Authority negotiator and top leader in Abbas’ Fatah faction, said he had invited the groups to discuss the formation of a unity government whose prime agenda topic would be Israel’s pullout plan. “The offer was prompted by the need to have a national partnership to shoulder responsibility in this very delicate and sensitive situation,” he said, adding that such a move would not affect an upcoming legislative election.
Hamas’ popularity has grown during more than four years of violence, especially in Gaza, where it made a strong showing in municipal elections earlier this year. Hamas also plans to challenge Fatah group in the coming election.
Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev said Israel sees the group as “part of the problem and not as part of any sort of solution” and reiterated Israel’s demand that Abbas dismantle it. “We believe that the best way to deal with Hamas is to disarm them, delegitimize them and disqualify them,” Regev said. “Mr. Abbas is committed to disarming all the terrorist groups ... we’re hopeful that he will follow through on this commitment.”
Israel is concerned Hamas will try to seize control of Gaza after its planned evacuation of all 21 Jewish settlements in the territory in August and has vowed it will not allow any pullout to occur under fire. Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qorei announced a similar invitation last week but Hamas and Islamic Jihad said they did not respond to it because he had made his comments to reporters rather than to them directly.
Dozens of militants linked to Fatah group raided a government building in Gaza yesterday, demanding he make good on a deal to recruit them into his security forces. About 40 armed men from the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, some masked, stormed the Legislative Council building in the town of Rafah and occupied it for four hours. They said they had not used violence or held anyone hostage.
The Palestinian Interior Ministry called the protest “useless” and said committees were still discussing the issue of hiring the men. Al-Aqsa is linked to Fatah. “The ministry ... will not succumb to any blackmail attempt made by any of the armed groups,” the ministry said in a statement.
“The ministry and its agencies will not hesitate to impose the law and protect private and public properties.” The incident follows months of growing lawlessness in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
