Hamas yet to decide on contesting PA presidency

Hamas has not yet decided to nominate a candidate for the Palestinian Authority (PA) presidency in the upcoming elections, senior Hamas leader Mousa Abu Marzouk said yesterday.

Speaking to Al-Aqsa TV, a Palestinian satellite channel based in Gaza, Abu Marzouk said that his movement would take part in parliamentary elections but has not decided about the presidential elections.

He said the national agreement government to be formed by PA President Mahmoud Abbas would not have a political agenda.

Hamas and Fatah announced on Friday a national reconciliation agreement and agreed to instate a caretaker government headed by Abbas. The main purpose of the government is to carry out general elections in the occupied territories.

Meanwhile, Abu Marzouk said that the Palestinian-Israeli peace process proved it was a failure. “Returning to this choice harms the Palestinian people,” he said.

Today is the deadline for a nine month temporary resumption of peace talks between the Palestinians and the Israeli occupation. About one month before the deadline, the talks came to a deadlock following Israel’s refusal to release the fourth batch of veteran Palestinian prisoners.

Abu Marzouk hoped for improvements in the relations between his movement and Cairo in the near future. Currently, there is tension between Cairo and Hamas, whose ideology is close to that of the Muslim Brotherhood.

Last month an Egyptian court for urgent matters outlawed Hamas, stopped its activities in Egypt and confiscated its property and offices.