GAZA: The Hamas movement that rules the Gaza Strip plans to form a new government if the next round of reconciliation talks mediated by Egypt fails, sources said yesterday.
The sources who spoke on condition of anonymity said Hamas officials in the Palestinian territories were in close contact with exiled leaders to prepare for the formation of the new government following the May 16-17 talks.
The sources added that Hamas made the decision following an announcement that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas of the rival Fatah movement intends to form a broader government in the West Bank. Abbas’ new government “will be illegitimate if the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), which is dominated by Hamas, does not approve it,” the sources said.
Ismail Haniyeh would also head the new Hamas government that would also include two senior officials: Mahmoud Al-Zahar and Khalil Al-Haiya. In the previous four rounds of reconciliation talks held in Cairo, Hamas and Fatah failed to agree on the political platform of a unity government, but they did agree to hold parliamentary and presidential elections by January 2010. Also in the fourth round of talks, the Egyptian mediators managed to achieve some progress but no breakthroughs in key issues.
On Saturday, deposed Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh told reporters that the decision by Abbas to form a new government created more hurdles.
The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) yesterday echoed the Hamas movement’s rejection of the Abbas plan to form a new government.
Rabah Muhana, a PFLP leader based in Gaza, said: “Forming an extended government without a national understanding will widen the internal rift and block dialogue.” Muhana called for forming a transitional unity government with a specific platform to run daily matters until new elections are held in January.
