Hamas rejects joining the Palestinian government
Palestine, Politics, 7/6/2005

Asked about Hamas's rejection to form a unity government with the Palestinian Authority, and that Hamas expect to sit it out and wait to the fall elections instead to possibly displace Fatah, the US Department Of State spokesman yesterday said "our views are well known and our focus is on working with the Palestinian Authority to see that there is an effective, peaceful withdrawal along the lines of the principles that the Secretary outlined when she was in the region on her last trip."


Hamas called the government's offer a "distraction and red herring," IRNA noted, accusing the government of trying to evade the organization of legislative elections.

Irna reported that: "We won't be part to any efforts to rob the Palestinian masses of their right to democratically and freely elect its leaders and representatives,'' said Hamas leader in Gaza Mahmoud Zahar. Zahar and other Islamist leaders called on the PA to designate "sooner than later" a new date for the general elections.

IRNA reported that "To counter the PA's national unity government offer, Hamas has () proposed the formation of a "preferential body" that would include the PA and all Palestinian political factions, including Fatah and Hamas, to run the Gaza Strip after the planned Israeli withdrawal. Hamas argued that such a body would prevent intra-Palestinian frictions and ensure the prevalence of law and order after the Israeli withdrawal." The offer was rejected by the government arguing that there is only "one government" that all Palestinians ought to heed its decisions.

Previous Stories:
  Sharon's conditions makes for a failed summit with Abbas   (6/22/2005)
  Hamas rejects re-elections, call on Palestinians to boycott   (6/1/2005)
  Egyptian security delegation winds up visit to Palestinian territories   (5/31/2005)

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