Secretary-General of the leftist Palestinian People Party (PPP), Bassam Salhi, stated Monday that the PPP will not join the new interim government that is expected to be declared soon by Prime Minister, Dr. Salaam Fayyad.Salhi said that the PPP supports holding general elections on schedule, adding that polls should be free of political rifts between the factions.
As the Palestinians are planning their massive protests in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, on Tuesday, to demand national unity and an end to internal divisions, the PPP will also be participating in these protests that were called for by the Youth Coalition for National Unity.
Al Salhi said that the youth movement in Palestine plays an important role in the political life, and has great influence on local politics.
In Gaza, hundreds of families installed tents at the Unknown Soldier Square in preparation for the massive popular protests calling for unity among the Palestinian people and their factions.
The main protest in the West Bank will be held in the central West Bank city of Ramallah.
Palestinian Prime Minister, Dr. Salaam Fayyad, has until this coming Monday to conclude the formation of a new government , but should he fail to form the cabinet within the set time frame, Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, will be entitled to ask a new figure to form the government.
Yet, sources close to Fayyad said he will likely declare the new cabinet next Wednesday.
The current interim government will likely hold its last session this Wednesday, while Dr. Fayyad is expected to officially thank the current interim ministers for their services in a symbolic gesture indicating the end of their duties.
The Hamas movement, the rival of Fateh, said that national unity and reconciliation must be achieved before elections can be held.
Spokesperson of the Hams movement in Gaza, Dr. Sami Abu Zuhri, said that Hamas supports the national calls for starting dialogue based on ending internal divisions, and on preserving the national Palestinian rights.
During the 2006 legislative elections in Palestine, the Hamas movement garnered 80 seats out of 132. The movement’s official candidates won 76 seats while four independent candidates, running on Hamas ticket, won four additional seats. Fateh only garnered 43 seats.
Following the bloody gun battles between Hamas and Fateh supporters in 2007, Hamas maintained its government in Gaza, while president Abbas formed an interim government headed by Dr. Salaam Fayyad in the West Bank.
In 2008 more violent gun battles took place between fighters of the two movements in the Gaza Strip.
