Hamas accuses Abbas of provoking crisis with Islamic Movement to cover West Bank protests

A spokesman for Hamas in Gaza has accused Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas of provoking a crisis with the Islamic Resistance Movement in order to divert attention from anti-PA protests across the occupied West Bank. Dr. Sami Abu Zuhri called upon Abbas to commit to Palestinian reconciliation, “and not evade his political obligations related to the process”; he urged him “to get busy with meeting the demands of the Palestinian people in the West Bank instead of fabricating a crisis with Hamas.”

---

Speaking to Quds Press, Abu Zuhri confirmed that reconciliation is an integrated package which must begin with the restructuring of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and end with elections overseen by a consensus government.

Abu Zuhri also criticised Abbas’s warnings to the Arab countries about their relationship with the Prime Minister of the Palestinian government in Gaza, Ismail Haniyeh. “Such warnings about receiving Mr Haniyeh on official visits are, to be frank, very silly and will not affect the status quo because the prime minister is a legitimate symbol,” he said. “We are confident that he was and will remain welcome in all the Arab capitals, and that the Arab governments will not pay any attention to Abbas’s remarks in this regard.”

In closing, Abu Zuhri pointed out that the Arab countries still receive Mahmoud Abbas and deal with him as president even though his legal term of office ended years ago.