Haniyeh calls for early elections for the Palestinian National Council

Sunday August 19, 2007 01:35 by IMEMC Staff saed at imemc dot org

Ismail Haniyeh, the Palestinian Prime Minister of the Palestinian government which was dissolved by president Mahmoud Abbas, but still performing his duties in the Gaza Strip, stated on Saturday that Hamas recognizes the legitimacy of Abbas as a president and called for early elections for the Palestinian National Council (PNC).

The statements of Haniyeh came during an interview with several Arab and international media outlets in Gaza.

Haniyeh said that his government recognizes Abbas as the president of the Palestinian National Authority but does not recognize his decrees which, according to Haniyya, violate the constitution.

He reiterated the position of Hamas in rejecting the calls of Abbas to hold early presidential and legislative elections in order to end the current crisis.

Haniyeh also said that he does not believe that Abbas will hold these elections only in the West Bank, and stated that holding these elections require two conditions; national consensus and a constitutional background, “but both do not exist tight now”, he added.

He stated that Hamas will not declare the establishment of a Palestinian state in Gaza without the West Bank and said that Hamas will not agree to a state which does not include all of the Palestinian territories.

Commenting on negotiations with Israel, Haniyeh said that in the current stage there will be no talks with Israel, and that nobody is now authorized to do so.

“Any talks with Israel in this stage will include giving away the right of return of the Palestinian refugees, and giving away our national standards”, Haniyeh said, “We will not authorize any person to do so”.

He denied reports which claimed that his government is holding secret talks with Israel, but said that ministers in his government “have no problem in meeting with Israeli government ministers if this will facilitate the daily lives of the Palestinian residents”.

Haniyeh also slammed that Palestinian leadership in Ramallah and said that they are rushing to hold talks with Israel while the Israeli government wants to impose its own agenda.

Responding to a question regarding “the existence of Al-Qaida in the Gaza Strip, Haniyeh said that there is no Qaida in Gaza, and that Hamas will never support the Qaida network.

He said that such reports are false and described them as acts of incitement against the Gaza Strip in order to give Israel a chance to continue its military offensive and carry a large scale invasion into the Gaza Strip.

Hamas rejects Abbas's new election law

[ 18/08/2007 - 08:41 AM ]

GAZA, (PIC)--

The Hamas Movement has declared rejection of the PA chief Mahmoud Abbas's new election law that commits each and every candidate to declare abidance by the PLO program and its signed agreements, which practically excludes Hamas from participating in elections.

A close associate of Abbas said that any candidate should accept the PLO as the sole, legitimate representative of the Palestinian people and to approve the declaration of independence endorsed back in 1988.

Dr. Sami Abu Zuhri, the Hamas spokesman in the Gaza Strip, described such a law as "illegal", adding, "We are not concerned with this step".

Abbas has no right to amend the Palestinian basic law because the PLC is the one entitled to amend or issue new laws, he clarified.

Abu Zuhri further noted that no elections would succeed without participation of Hamas, adding that Abbas should have rather opted to dialogue and national entente.

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