West Bank – Senior Hamas official Mahmoud Zahar said Wednesday that Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas was afraid to hold elections, because he fears he would lose.
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Speaking in an interview with Lebanon’s Al-Akhbar, Zahar attacked Abbas for trying to cover up the failure of the Palestinian unity government by accusing Hamas of running a “shadow government” in Gaza.
“Fatah lost the legitimacy to represent the Palestinian people after the elections,” Zahar said, referring to the 2006 Palestinian elections. “Abu Mazen [Abbas] is not a legitimate or agreed-upon president. He is a president because there is no other choice.”
Zahar said Hamas was prepared for elections at any time, and that such elections were supposed to take place within six months of the April signing of the unity agreement, but Abbas refuses to hold elections.
“According to our information, Abbas fears the results of the election,” Zahar said.
Also addressing the cease-fire with Israel, Zahar said Hamas intends to continue the truce.
He said the Palestinian factions do not need Israel’s permission to build an airport or seaport in Gaza.
Zahar said the Oslo Accords had allowed for an airport in Gaza , which was destroyed during the second intifada in 2000.
“If we decide to build an airport and Israel responds by attacking it, then we will attack [Israel’s] airport in return,” Zahar warned.”We paid the price for an airport and seaport by recognizing Fatah in Israel at the expense of the Palestinian people,” he said.
Content is provided courtesy of the Jerusalem Post
“We paid the price for an airport and seaport by recognizing Fatah in Israel …”
Pray tell, what exactly does this mean?
Recognizing Fatah -where?
Does that mean that Israel paid the price for nuclear power by recognizing Fatah in Gaza?