GAZA CITY, 11 June 2006 — Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas yesterday issued a decree ordering a referendum on the Prisoners’ Document on July 26, setting the stage for a showdown with the ruling Hamas government. The document, agreed upon by Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, implicitly recognizes Israel.
Tayeb Abdul Rahim, an aide to Abbas read out the decree. “As president of the PLO Executive Committee and president of the Palestinian Authority, I have decided to exercise my constitutional right and duty to hold a referendum over the document of national agreement,” Abbas said.
Abbas went ahead with the decision to hold the referendum despite its opposition by Hamas.
Abbas called on the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, West Bank and East Jerusalem to participate in the referendum on Wednesday, July 26, when the voting will be held from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Voters will be asked whether they accept the Prisoners Document of National Accordance or not.
Swiftly rejecting the announcement as a “declaration of a coup against the government,” Mushir Al-Masri, a leading Hamas legislator, urged Palestinians to boycott the vote.
Hamas officials accuse Abbas of using the referendum to try to engineer the downfall of their government, which has struggled with a Western aid embargo and growing disorder.
Hours before the announcement, Hamas formally ended a 16-month truce by firing more than 25 rockets and mortar bombs at Israel in response to the killing of seven people on a Gaza beach by Israeli gunboats on Friday.
Israel Radio said Defense Minister Amir Peretz had sent a message to Abbas voicing “deep regret at the deaths of innocent people.” Israel’s army said one of its shells may have hit the beach by accident, but it was still investigating.
