Hamas: Abbas' withdrawal of international complaint over the Israeli settlements ‘scandalous’

  The head of the Legal Committee in the Palestinian Legislative Council accused the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas of “conspiring against the Palestinian cause” describing him as “a failed lawyer”.

The Secretary of Change and Reform bloc, the parliamentary bloc of Hamas in the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), said that the postponement of presenting a draft resolution concerning the Israeli settlement before the UN Security Council is a step that “serves the occupation’s interests.”

In a statement released yesterday, Mohammed Faraj Al-Ghul said that Abbas was subjected to Israeli, French and international pressure, and he prevented Israeli leaders from being brought before the International Criminal Court.  “Abbas is working in a dictatorial way,” he said.

“Withdrawing the international complaint … is a scandalous decision,” Al-Ghul continued, stressing that Palestinian rights are “fixed” and that neither Abbas nor anybody else are authorised to waive these rights.

“Abbas is continuing with the security coordination with the occupation, and is giving up a right” that all Palestinian factions agreed on.

By refusing to complain against Israeli settlements at the International Criminal Court and the UN Security Council, Abbas “confirms that he is not qualified to lead the Palestinian people.”

The Hamas MP said that settlements on Palestinian land are a form of “occupation” and one of the international crimes specified by the International Criminal Court and the Rome Statute.

He noted that the occupation’s insistence on settlement building is a “full-fledged crime” according to international law.

Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported yesterday that Abbas withdrew from presenting a draft resolution on Israeli settlements before the UN Security Council out of “fear” of the failure of the French peace initiative.