Tension grows between Palestinian Authority and Hamas
September 8, 2014 -- Updated 1136 GMT (1936 HKT)
The Palestinian Authority
 controls the West Bank, and the militant group Hamas has controlled 
Gaza. The longtime rivals agreed to a unity government earlier this 
year, but Abbas accused Hamas of operating a shadow government in Gaza.
"We cannot accept the 
current state of affairs, and we will not accept a partnership between 
us and them (Hamas) if their state of affairs remains as it is in Gaza,"
 Abbas said, according to the official Palestinian news agency WAFA.
 
See Gaza destruction from above
 
Peace in place, Gazans return to rubble
"There is a shadow 
government that consists of 27 deputy ministers who run the strip, and 
the unity government is actually rendered helpless."
Senior Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri fired back at Abbas' comments.
"Abbas' statements 
regarding Hamas and the resistance are unjustifiable, and the figures 
and information upon which he based his judgment are baseless," Abu 
Zuhri said on his Facebook page.
He said the two sides had
 agreed to hold a meeting soon to continue "go on with the dialogue and 
to implement the articles of the reconciliation agreement."
The rift stands in stark contrast to Abbas' statements in April on Palestinian reconciliation.
Abbas, the founder of the
 Fatah political faction, said he was determined to end the division 
between Fatah and Hamas. He also said the new unity government will 
recognize Israel, but not as a Jewish state.

No comments:
Post a Comment