OMEN
03-11-2006, 10:14 PM
PALESTINIAN leader Mahmud Abbas's Fatah movement has rejected Hamas's proposed government programme, saying it did not comply with demands regarding ties with Israel.
"We have rejected their government programme because it did not meet president Mahmud Abbas's demands," the leader of the Fatah faction in parliament, Azam al-Ahmed said.
"Hamas's positions remained unchanged," he said. "Hamas did not present during meetings a programme which allowed the forming of a coalition government."
Mr Abbas and the international community have demanded the radical Islamist movement recognise Israel's right to exist, renounce the armed struggle and respect agreements with the Jewish state as a condition for entering government.
"Fatah will propose to form by itself the next government or appoint an independent personality, which would respect the Palestine Liberation Organisation programme, if Hamas is unable or does not wish to do so," Mr Ahmed said.
The comments from the head of Abbas' parliament faction followed conflicting accounts earlier over what had transpired Saturday during a meeting between Hamas and the Palestinian president.
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A senior Palestinian official close to Abbas said the Palestinian president had rejected Hamas's political programme during a meeting in Gaza City Friday with Hamas premier-designate Ismail Haniya.
However, Abbas gave Hamas two weeks to change its program in accordance with his demands and to put together a cabinet lineup, the unnamed official added.
The official, who requested to remain unnamed, said Abbas "rejected the Hamas government programme which was presented to him by ... Haniya because the principal political points in it have to be clear for the international community."
"Negotiations are the way to peace between Israel and the Palestinians," he said.
In response, Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhari denied that Abbas rejected Haniya's plan and accused someone in the Palestinian Authority of trying to sour relations between Abbas and Hamas.
"Some official in the Palestinian Authority is trying to make the atmosphere between Hamas and Abbas tense when they make such a statement, which is not correct," Mr Abu Zuhari said.
Amid the uproar, Mr Abbas' spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeina also disputed that the president had rejected the Hamas plan.
Said Siam, a senior Hamas official and newly elected MP, said Abbas had not even responded to the proposals sent to Haniya.
"We do not deal with Abbas through the media," he said, adding that Haniya had submitted his proposals to Abbas in a letter and "his position will be known when we receive a written letter from him."
On February 21, Abbas formally tasked Haniya with forming the next cabinet following the radical Islamist faction's upset victory in the Palestinian general election on January 25.
Since then, Haniya has consulted with a number of factions, most notably Abbas's own Fatah, with whom it has still not been able to reach agreement on joining a Hamas-led coalition.
Under the Palestinian Basic Law, Haniya had three weeks to form a government with the option of a 14-day extension if needed. That would give him until March 28 -- the same day as a scheduled general election in Israel.
Hamas parliamentary spokesman Salah al-Bardawil told AFP Hamas will hold its final meeting with all factions on Monday.
Meanwhile, Haniya reaffirmed his commitment to a government of national unity and said consultations "among Palestinian groups -- Islamic and national -- and with all blocs in the parliament" have entered the final stage.
He said Hamas wants a "joint cabinet from all groups" including Fatah. "We want a political partnership and for everybody to take complete responsibility for the Palestinian people and the Palestinian cause."
The incoming Palestinian government will mark the start of an unprecedented period of cohabitation between a Palestinian Authority president from Fatah and a Hamas-dominated cabinet.
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"We have rejected their government programme because it did not meet president Mahmud Abbas's demands," the leader of the Fatah faction in parliament, Azam al-Ahmed said.
"Hamas's positions remained unchanged," he said. "Hamas did not present during meetings a programme which allowed the forming of a coalition government."
Mr Abbas and the international community have demanded the radical Islamist movement recognise Israel's right to exist, renounce the armed struggle and respect agreements with the Jewish state as a condition for entering government.
"Fatah will propose to form by itself the next government or appoint an independent personality, which would respect the Palestine Liberation Organisation programme, if Hamas is unable or does not wish to do so," Mr Ahmed said.
The comments from the head of Abbas' parliament faction followed conflicting accounts earlier over what had transpired Saturday during a meeting between Hamas and the Palestinian president.
Advertisement:
A senior Palestinian official close to Abbas said the Palestinian president had rejected Hamas's political programme during a meeting in Gaza City Friday with Hamas premier-designate Ismail Haniya.
However, Abbas gave Hamas two weeks to change its program in accordance with his demands and to put together a cabinet lineup, the unnamed official added.
The official, who requested to remain unnamed, said Abbas "rejected the Hamas government programme which was presented to him by ... Haniya because the principal political points in it have to be clear for the international community."
"Negotiations are the way to peace between Israel and the Palestinians," he said.
In response, Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhari denied that Abbas rejected Haniya's plan and accused someone in the Palestinian Authority of trying to sour relations between Abbas and Hamas.
"Some official in the Palestinian Authority is trying to make the atmosphere between Hamas and Abbas tense when they make such a statement, which is not correct," Mr Abu Zuhari said.
Amid the uproar, Mr Abbas' spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeina also disputed that the president had rejected the Hamas plan.
Said Siam, a senior Hamas official and newly elected MP, said Abbas had not even responded to the proposals sent to Haniya.
"We do not deal with Abbas through the media," he said, adding that Haniya had submitted his proposals to Abbas in a letter and "his position will be known when we receive a written letter from him."
On February 21, Abbas formally tasked Haniya with forming the next cabinet following the radical Islamist faction's upset victory in the Palestinian general election on January 25.
Since then, Haniya has consulted with a number of factions, most notably Abbas's own Fatah, with whom it has still not been able to reach agreement on joining a Hamas-led coalition.
Under the Palestinian Basic Law, Haniya had three weeks to form a government with the option of a 14-day extension if needed. That would give him until March 28 -- the same day as a scheduled general election in Israel.
Hamas parliamentary spokesman Salah al-Bardawil told AFP Hamas will hold its final meeting with all factions on Monday.
Meanwhile, Haniya reaffirmed his commitment to a government of national unity and said consultations "among Palestinian groups -- Islamic and national -- and with all blocs in the parliament" have entered the final stage.
He said Hamas wants a "joint cabinet from all groups" including Fatah. "We want a political partnership and for everybody to take complete responsibility for the Palestinian people and the Palestinian cause."
The incoming Palestinian government will mark the start of an unprecedented period of cohabitation between a Palestinian Authority president from Fatah and a Hamas-dominated cabinet.
News.au