Fatah's spokesperson: Hamas' views over presidency are baseless

Tuesday October 07, 2008 17:42 by IMEMC Staff - IMEMC & Agencies

Fatah's spokesman in the West Bank, Fahmi aL-Za'areer, stated on Tuesday that Hamas' views on the term in office of Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas are baseless from a constitutional and legal perspectives.

In a statement received by media outlets, Al-Za'areer said that Palestinian basic law stipulates that the Palestinian president's term is terminated with the termination of the Palestinian legislative council, adding that Hamas's parliamentary bloc's position is useless.

He confirmed that despite Hamas' view that Abbas's term in office will end officially by January 8,2009, the president will continue to assume his responsibilities as stated in Palestinian law.

He also expressed his party's readiness for holding general elections immediately, in a bid to end Palestinian political turmoil currently underway.

Yesterday, the Hamas-dominated parliament decided that President Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah will be dealt with as an illegal president by January 8,2009, as his term in office comes to an end, some Hamas lawmakers in Gaza said.

Both Hamas and Fatah parties have been at loggerheads since the Islamist Hamas won the 2006's parliamentary elections. Hamas and Fatah formed the first-ever national unity cabinet in February 2007, yet Hamas seized control of Gaza four months later, as fighting escalated with Fatah.

ramallah | palestinian politics | news report rami at imemc dot org