Fateh: Hamas Must Allow the Elections Committee to Operate in Gaza

Monday February 27, 2012 11:46 by Ghassan Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

The Fateh movement of president Mahmoud Abbas, demanded on Monday that the Palestinian elections committee be allowed to conduct the necessary work in the Gaza Strip in preparation for the upcoming parliamentary and presidential elections.

Fatah-Hamas Logos - Archive Photo

Fateh Spokesperson, Fayiz Abu Ayita, stated in a press statement that the “Palestinian General Elections, Presidential, parliamentary and National Council are meant to end the internal divisions, and the shortest way to for national reconciliation and unity.”

Abu Ayita also asked the ruling Hamas party in Gaza to implement the signed deals and the Doha declaration, which is “to agree on the creation of a technocrat-government and to allow the elections committee to finish preparations before the elections if Hamas is really interested in the reconciliation.”

The Fateh official concluded his statement by saying that Fatah was forced to overlook many issues made by the division to achieve unity and national reconciliation adding that “allowing the Palestinian people to express their well though ballots is a national duty that requires a dedicated work by all factions on the bases to reaching national unity and ending the division.”

Earlier this month Abbas and Hamas's exiled leader Khaled Mashal, agreed in Doha on implementing the pending unity deal between Hamas and Fatah. The two leaders asserted on the need for holding elections in the course of few months.

The Doha announcement was opposed by some Hamas leaders, including MPs who stated that it contravened Palestinian law and parliamentarian legislation of the Palestinian Authority.

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