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Left-wing Palestinian leader blames Abbas and Hamas for reconciliation delay

February 15, 2014 at 1:27 pm

A prominent member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) said on Monday that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is still subject to US pressure regarding internal reconciliation.

“I blame Abbas and Hamas for the delay in the reconciliation process,” Rabah Mohana told MEMO. “Both parties have their own interests in the issue.”


The PFLP leader in Gaza said that Hamas does not want to conduct elections within the next two years. “It hopes that the regional situation might become more stable and that this will favour the Islamic movement,” he suggested.

Regarding external pressure, Mohana said that the EU accepts reconciliation whereas the US does not. “Abbas is still subject to American pressure,” he said. “He preferred to meet President Barack Obama rather than press on with reconciliation talks with Hamas.”

Positive talks regarding Palestinian reconciliation brokered by Egypt reached a peak last month, but stopped suddenly when it was announced that Obama would be visiting Israel and Ramallah. Fatah and Hamas blamed each other for the stalemate.