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Hamas preparing for a post-Abbas era

February 21, 2018 at 11:22 am

Hamas is preparing for the period after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is no longer in power, Osama Hamdan said today.

In a statement, the official said: “Hamas is preparing for the post-President Abbas era, and Dahlan was not and will not be one of our options.”

“We have three cards of strength which we should not lose sight of: the resistance, the nature of the issue which is not easily ended, and the changing political climate.”

“The Fatah movement is not suffering the way we are suffering in Gaza, but Fatah is in a quandary …. And I think that President Abbas’ political career has ended.”

Mahmoud Abbas turns a blind eye on Gaza's blockade - Cartoon [Latuff/MiddleEastMonitor]

Mahmoud Abbas turns a blind eye on Gaza’s blockade – Cartoon [Latuff/MiddleEastMonitor]

Hamdan pointed out that “what [chief Palestinian negotiator] Saeb Erekat said about the crisis in the [Palestinian] Authority and the negotiations team and security coordination, the continuation of settlements and Judaisation of Jerusalem confirm this, but the problem is the inability of this team to do what is right.”

“Egypt,” he continued, “has promised to send a security delegation to the Gaza Strip soon to follow up on the implementation of the reconciliation agreement.”

“Egypt is continuing to support the course of interests and it was agreed that the procedures for the entry of goods through the Rafah crossing would begin.”

The recent visit by a Hamas delegation to Egypt allowed officials to discuss the Palestinian reconciliation agreement and its consequences, the political settlement as part of the US’ “deal of the century” and the threats of a new attack on the besieged Gaza Strip.

“Egypt informed us that the settlement is rejected, and they are not prepared to give up an inch of Sinai,” Hamdan said.

Read: Egypt opens Rafah crossing ‘exceptionally’ in both directions