Palestinian election decree fans flames of feud (Roundup)

Oct 24, 2009, 15:18 GMT

   Ramallah/Gaza - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Saturday defended his decision to hold national elections on January 24 even as his political opponents accused him of a power grab.

Abbas backed his Friday night decree for the elections to be held in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza Strip, saying it was a constitutional requirement.

   'Today we have a legal requirement,' said Abbas, addressing the opening session of the Palestine Liberation Organization's Central Council held in Ramallah.

   'We have a constitution and it says we have to announce it today,' he said. 'We are going to enforce this constitutional requirement.'

But the move provoked an outcry from Hamas, which is in opposition to Abbas' Fatah movement, controls the parliament and has de facto control of the Gaza Strip after violently ousting Fatah loyalists in 2007.

Ahmed Bahar, deputy speaker of the parliament, accused Abbas of making a power grab with his move and seeking to dominate power.

'Abbas does not have the constitutional eligibility to issue the decree,' said Bahar. 'Abbas' constitutional mandate is over. He does not have any legal status to determine the fate of the elections, whether presidential or legislative.'

Abbas' term in office ended in January, but was extended because there was no agreement on how to hold a new election for the job. But many Hamas officials do not recognize his authority. Calling the elections without the proper authority should result in some judicial action, Bahar hinted.

Furthermore, by making the decree without consulting Hamas, Abbas risks derailing reconciliation talks between the two sides, Bahar said, saying it 'strikes all efforts for reconciliation.'

   Abbas said he was continuing with national reconciliation efforts spearheaded by Egypt, even if Hamas disagreed with his call for elections.

   The present legislative council, dominated by the Islamist movement Hamas, ends its four-year term on January 24. Hamas is strongly opposed to January elections.

  The Palestinian basic law says the president should call for national elections three months before the obligatory election date.

   An Egyptian reconciliation paper calls for election on June 28 instead of January. Abbas' Fatah movement has already accepted the Egyptian paper while Hamas has not yet given its final response even though it is hesitant to accept it.

   Abbas accused Hamas of not wanting elections, saying that when Hamas won the previous elections it wanted it for one time and was not ready to give up its control over the Gaza Strip.

   Hamas says it does not believe new elections are going to be honest and fears that Abbas was trying to cancel its role by holding new elections before the rival parties reconcile their differences.

   'We will continue with reconciliation, the political process and negotiations as per what we have committed ourselves to and we will continue to move forward,' said Abbas. 'We take matter very seriously. These are not tactical moves nor are we maneuvering when we issued this (elections) decree.'

   Abbas reiterated his position that he will not resume negotiations with Israel before it stops all settlement activities in all the Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem.