Hamas rejects PNC meeting outcomes, calls for democratic elections

CAIRO – 4 May 2018: Palestinian Islamist organization Hamas criticized on Saturday a “state of dictatorship and singularity” that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas entrenched in violation to all the national agreements.

The statement added that Abbas violated all the agreements that stipulated the necessity of forming a newly elected national council to attune aspirations of the Palestinian people and embody unity and adherence in the face of challenges.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Monday called on the Palestinian National Council on Tuesday to adopt the initiative he made at the United Nations Security Council in February.

He said during a televised speech at the National Council’s 23^rd session held at the presidential headquarters in Ramallah that “we may be up to difficult steps in our relationship with our neighbors, Israel and the U.S., but I am not going to say what they are.”

Hamas’ statement added that outcomes of the National Council meeting do not represent Palestinians and will not be recognized by the organization for lacking legality, democracy and a consensual foundation.

Hamas also affirmed its keenness to work and exert more efforts along with all forces and fictions in Palestine, which are bigger and stronger than “those who took part of Abbas’ play”, to form a “true national council” that is based on foundations of partnership, non-exclusivity or exclusion in order to protect the national project and the Palestinian case.

Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas was re-elected chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organisation's (PLO) executive committee on Friday. Abbas sought to renew his legitimacy while installing loyalists who he hopes will eventually continue his legacy.

Abbas described the meeting, which took place 22 years after the last regular PNC session in 1996 as a guard of the Palestinian dream. He said, “If this session did not convene, the national dream would have been in danger.”

He hinted that there was no desire by unnamed parties for this session to convene in an attempt to end the Palestinian dream.

“We live conspiracies of the past, because there are those who do not want this council to meet, which means an end to the PLO and then it will be the end of the Palestinian dream.”

He shared with the attendees who include high ranking Palestinian officials, Arabs and international guests that “Some wanted to hold the session in Gaza, and others in Chicago, but we have a homeland and we can hold the session here. We have the freedom to speak in our land more than in any other place.”

Speaking about the reconciliation, Abbas said that he remains committed to ending the division with Hamas, despite the recent events which saw the Prime Minister Rami Al-Hamdallah being the target of a failed assassination attempt.

He explained that despite that the Palestinian Authority rose above what happened and insisted on achieving the reconciliation.

However, he affirmed that there will never be two authorities governing Palestine. “No country that respects itself will accept two authorities. If Hamas wants reconciliation, either we be in charge and assume full responsibility or they be in charge and they assume full responsibility. It is either a full reconciliation or none.”

“We call for an inclusive legislative, presidential and PLO elections in accordance with all the agreements to formulate a new Palestinian situation,” the statement added.