Bethlehem - Ma'an - The head of the Fatah bloc in the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), Azzam Al-Ahmad, has called on Palestinian President Abbas to carry his constitutional, national and ethical responsibilities and end the Palestinian people's suffering. Al-Ahmad also blamed Hamas for the failure of the talks regarding the new government's formation.
On the other hand, a Hamas leader has blamed members of Fatah of trying to overthrow the Hamas-led government and thwart all attempts to form a new government that will be headed by Hamas.
Speaking to Ma'an exclusively, Al-Ahmad said, 'Abbas has been asked more than once before to end the current crisis either by asking Hamas to take serious decisions, or to use his authorities to find a solution as soon as possible as Hamas is most interested in retaining power. Starvation of the people means nothing to Hamas'.
Al-Ahmad accused Hamas of manipulating Abbas and stretching his patience and flexibility. He said, 'They are delaying the formation of the government under many excuses. First they say that this [delay] is related to the release of the PLC members and ministers, and then they start discussing the issue of [the captured Israeli soldier] Shalit with the Egyptians'.
Regarding the Hamas accusations that there is a trend in Fatah to try to overthrow the Hamas government, Al-Ahmad said, 'if Fatah is so, why are they talking with us in Fatah and with the president? They see everything through their interests, the faction's interest and their personal interest.'
Regarding the points of discord between the Fatah and the Hamas movements, he said, 'Fatah doesn’t want any of the ministry posts. We are ready to occupy any post – [even] a symbolic post, even if it is a minister without portfolio. The [point of] difference, which is known and announced, is the dividing up of the posts, while the truth is that the idea of partnership has not yet matured within Hamas. They are making all these tactics because they want the power [but] they don’t want partnership'.
Azzam Al-Ahmad also said that the talks stopped a long time ago and the president attempted to solve the crisis but Hamas refused to cooperate. 'There were differences regarding the posts,' Al-Ahmad said. 'Hamas refused to make any concessions regarding the [ministries of the] interior, finance, education and 'Waqf' [Islamic endowment]. They gave Fatah the foreign affairs [ministry], but we in Fatah suggested that the finance and the interior [ministries] go to independents, but Hamas put forward a well-known Hamas member and said that this figure is close to them'.
On the other hand, Hamas has accused certain elements in the Fatah movement of plotting to overthrow their government by deliberately attempting to frustrate any talks or consultations related to the formation of a government headed by Hamas.
A Hamas leader, Khalil Al-Hayyah, told Ma'an, 'There is a trend of [people who wish] to over throw [Hamas] who are attempting to frustrate the formation of the government. They announce in the media that the talks reached an impasse or deadlock, as they want to say to the Palestinians that we will not accept a government with Hamas in it'. He added, 'the intention of Fatah is to frustrate the unity government because its platform is opposed by the US and Israel. This is what puts them in a corner and now they are trying to find a way out'.
Regarding the main issues which are blocking the formation of the government, he said, 'The problem of the ministries is the problem which appears on the surface. The real problem is the authority of the ministries, and who is to be in these ministries'. He accused Abbas of retracting from what was agreed upon, especially what the chief mediator and independent politician, Dr. Barghouthi, presented about granting Hamas the right to name the ministers.
Al-Hayyah also said, 'Abbas wants a technocrat government with no decision-making capacity and to be ordered by the US and the Israelis. He wants all the names to be approved by the Americans first and this is refused by Hamas''. He added that there are other points of difference such as 'Fatah wants a government which suits Fatah. They don't want to discuss other issues … such as the issue of the Palestine Liberation Organisation, and this is contrary to real partnership'.
He called on the Fatah movement to accept a real partnership without demanding the main ministries in an attempt to keep Hamas away from these ministries.
Dr. Mustapha Barghouthi, the head of the Palestinian National Initiative and the main mediator between the two movements, said, 'the issue of the ministries should not be an obstacle to forming the government and then waste all the efforts taken'. He added, 'What we know as mediators is that the difference between the two movements was because of the posts. The other obstacles were because they returned to re-evaluate what was accomplished'.