Palestinian Authority says can't fulfill its responsibilities toward Palestinians in enclave unless Hamas relinquishes control.
By KHALED ABU TOAMEHPalestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas (R) talks with Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.(photo credit: REUTERS)
Hamas officials on Thursday accused the Palestinian Authority government of turning its back on the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and called for rescinding the last reconciliation agreement between the two parties.Hamas’s fury came in response to the PA government’s announcement that it would not pay salaries to civil servants employed by Hamas since it took control over the Gaza Strip in 2007.The government said it would not be able to fulfill its responsibilities toward the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip unless it’s allowed to regain full control over the area.The government also demanded that former PA civil servants, who refused to work under the Hamas administration, be reinstated as a precondition for helping the Gaza Strip. It said that it would not recognize or deal with all civil servants hired by Hamas after the violent takeover of the Gaza Strip.In addition, the PA government said that it would not be able to contribute to the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip unless it is permitted to gain control over the border crossings with Israel and Egypt.The government’s decision drew strong condemnations from several senior Hamas figures., who said it constituted a “coup” against last year’s reconciliation pact with Fatah.
