The Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas said on Friday that the Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas’ decision to call off Palestinian elections undermined national interests.
In press remarks, Hamas deputy chief abroad Mousa Abu Marzouq said that Abbas’ did not give the real reasons for cancelling the elections.
“Even if the declared reasons were true, we should have not surrender to the Israeli occupation’s desire and should have imposed our national will on it,” Abu Marzouq continued.
Addressing Abbas, Abu Marzouq called for him to act “as a president of all the Palestinians, not as a leader of a single party” and to have faith in his people.
The senior Hamas leader said that his movement wants the elections to restructure the Palestinian national home and to put an end to the monopoly of the executive authority and its interference in the legislative and judicial authorities.
He also said that Hamas wants the elections to push for a peaceful transition of power so that the Palestinian people would have tools to “punish any authority or group that doesn’t represent them or advocate for their causes.”
In addition, he said that his movement is keen on bringing an end to the intra-Palestinian rift and reuniting the PA institutions under a leadership that represents the Palestinian people and heal the individual and collective repercussions of division.
He also said the elections were needed to form a national unity government that includes all the Palestinian political colours.
Possessing a legitimate parliament that works on passing laws, monitoring the executive authority and holding corrupt politicians to account also makes the elections a necessity.
Abu Marzouq revealed that his movement had offered Fatah several suggestions and alternatives capable of forcing the Palestinian will on the Israeli occupation.
“This move is definitely in its [the Israeli occupation’s] interest and serves to reinforces its sovereignty,” Abu Marzouq stressed.
Noting that Fatah had already took a final decision to call off the Palestinian decision, Abu Marzouq said that Hamas decided not to attended in the meeting held in Ramallah on Thursday evening headed by Abbas.
Source : Hamas
