The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) has officially decided not to participate in the upcoming Palestinian National Unity Government. The leftist Palestinian People Party (PPP) and the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP), will give official response soon. Islamic Jihad will not participate.The PFLP said that its decision not to participate in the National Unity Government is merely political. They said that the official letter from President Mahmoud Abbas to Prime Minister Ismail Haniyya, in which he officially asked him to form the government, included articles regarding accepting the previously signed peace deals between Israel and the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO).
The PFLP said that it welcomes the Mecca agreement as it aims to stop the internal clashes between Fateh and Hamas gunmen, but considers their agreement on the unity government as bilateral.
The Front called for reviving the national talks with the participation of all factions in order to revive the role of the PLO.
PFLP legislator, Khalida Jarrar, stated on Tuesday that the position of the Front is solid, and that it came after weighing up the conditions on the ground and the Mecca agreement between Fateh and Hamas.
Meanwhile, the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) said that it still needs to discuss the issue among its leadership, and that its participation depends on the outcome of the Front’s talks with Hamas.
Qais Abu Laila, member of the Political bureau of the DFLP stated that the Front insists that other factions must have higher representation in the government, and that the government must also focus on the internal situation, chaos, the economical situation and unemployment, and education.
Abu Laila added that all parties must be part of the political partnership and that the government should not be dominated by Hamas and Fateh.
The Palestinian People Party (PPP) is yet to decide on its participation in the new government. Basam Salhi, secretary-General of the PPP, said that talks are still ongoing with Hamas and the Prime Minister, Ismail Haniyya.
The PPS’s official response will be decided after the talks, since it will depend on their outcome.
Salhi added that the PPP insists that the security devices should not be affiliated to any certain party, and that the PPS demands the neutrality of the Ministry of Education, adding that it should be given to an independent figure.
Salhi also said that the ministries belong to the people and not to certain parties of groups, and added that the government must be capable of lifting the siege imposed on the Palestinian government and people.
The Islamic Jihad movement said it will not participate in the unity government but will not obstruct its duties.
