Palestinian factions criticize omission of reference to resistance

Jul 28, 2007, 11:47 GMT

Gaza City - The Islamic Hamas movement Saturday slammed the platform of the newly-appointed acting government led by acting Prime Minister Salam Fayyad which for the first time has dropped any reference to armed resistance against Israel.

Along with Hamas, the Islamic Jihad (Holy War) and the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC) also opposed the programme presented by acting Prime Minister Salam Fayyad on Friday calling for Palestinians to work towards an end to the occupation, the creation of an independent state and an amicable solution to the refugee problem.

The programme also emphasized the attainment of an Israeli- Palestinian peace agreement consisting of pre-1967 borders.

The Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), influenced by Hamas lawmakers, have failed to convene for a confidence vote on Fayyad's government, owing to Hamas-Fatah differences.

'Fayyad's government is linked with the Israeli occupation and the US administration and so its stance is not astonishing,' Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri told reporters in Gaza Saturday.

The Hamas parliamentary bloc had earlier confirmed no confidence would be granted to Fayyad's government in any vote.

President Mahmoud Abbas asked Fayyad to appoint the government to replace the Hamas-led coalition after the Islamic movement seized control of the Gaza Strip in June.

Khaled al-Batsh, an Islamic Jihad leader in Gaza, said that the Palestinian people had the 'right of resistance and fighting against Israel in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.'

'I wonder why Fayyad insists on ruling out the struggle choice from his programme and acting as if we have an independent state,' al-Batsh added, calling on the Fatah-backed economist to reconsider his policy.

The PRC also condemned Fayyad's programme, saying the peaceful solution had been 'experienced and brought no fruits except more losses of rights.'