Fayyad government approves July local election in West Bank

April 26, 2010 By Leave a Comment

(Reuters) – The Western-backed government of Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad gave the go-ahead on Sunday for local elections in the West Bank in July, despite opposition from rival Hamas Islamists who run the Gaza Strip.

“The cabinet decided to continue with all necessary preparations for carrying out the polls for local councils in the West Bank on July 17,” it said in a statement after a meeting in the city of Ramallah.

Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’s Fatah party in 2007. The two parties have been in a state of open hostility since.

Legislative and presidential elections called in January by Abbas were canceled due to a ban by Hamas on participation in the Gaza Strip.

An Egyptian plan aimed at ending the Palestinian division set legislative and presidential elections for June. Fatah leader Abbas, who is supported by Cairo, signed the document, but Hamas has refused to.

The Palestinians last held local elections in 2005, shortly before a legislative election in which Hamas defeated Fatah.

(Reporting by Ali Sawafta; Writing by Joseph Nasr, Editing by Mark Trevelyan)

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Palestinian Prime Minister to Resign

March 8, 2009 By Leave a Comment

RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) — The Palestinian prime minister said Saturday he submitted his resignation in a move that could help usher in a power-sharing deal between Western-backed President Mahmoud Abbas and his rivals in the militant group Hamas.

Salam Fayyad’s resignation was meant to be a goodwill gesture toward Hamas, but the group’s officials dismissed the announcement, saying Fayyad’s appointment and time in office has been unconstitutional.

Abbas appointed Fayyad as Prime Minister after Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip in June 2007. The takeover effectively created two separate Palestinian administrations — an internationally backed government in the West Bank led by Abbas and technocrat Fayyad, and a blockaded government in the coastal patch of Gaza run by Hamas.

Fayyad said in a statement Saturday he hoped to pave the way for a unity government. ”This step comes in the efforts to form a national conciliation government,” he said.

Fayyad said his resignation would take effect after the formation of a Palestinian unity government but no later than the end of March. The announcement came before the resumption of power-sharing talks on Tuesday between Abbas’ Fatah and officials from Hamas, expected to take place in Cairo.

The rivals held an initial round of reconciliation talks in late February, agreeing to form separate committees to deal with grievances between the two sides, and to form a caretaker government to usher in new presidential and legislative elections.

Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum dismissed Fayyad’s announcement.

”This government did not work for the sake of the Palestinians, it worked for its own agenda. This end was expected for a government that was illegal and unconstitutional,” Barhoum said.

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Hamas vows to rearm against Israel

January 20, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Jerusalem, Jan.20 (ANI): A Hamas leader has declared victory over Israel, and warned that the Islamic militant group will rearm against Israel should a situation emerge to merit such a step.

Ismail Haniya, the deposed Palestinian prime minister and a political leader in Gaza, said the “armed resistance” had triumphed by surviving the Israeli operation.
“Do whatever you want. Manufacturing the holy weapons is our mission and we know how to acquire weapons,” The Telegraph quoted Abu Obeida, a spokesman for the Izzadin al-Qassam Brigades, as saying.
Meanwhile, an Israeli official has announced that the government would ensure all combat forces were withdrawn from Gaza by the time President-Elect Barack Obama is sworn-in as the 44th US President in Washington on Tuesday.
British Foreign Secretary David Miliband told the House of Commons that there were two post-conflict challenges facing Gaza: stopping the flow arms to Hamas and delivering reconstruction aid.

Israel has promised it would not stand in the way of substantial rebuilding in the devastated enclave – as long as Hamas does not benefit from the shipments of aid and cash infusions.

Benita Ferrero-Waldner, the EU external affairs commissioner, called on Hamas and factions controlled by President Mahmoud Abbas to unite, so that aid could be could be administered by civil servants from the Palestinian Authority.

A total of 40,000 tons of food and medicines had been transported into Gaza since the offensive began, a spokesman for the Israeli humanitarian effort said.

The overall death toll of Operation Cast Lead stood above 1,300, including more than 400 children. Another 5,300 were wounded. Israel reported a death toll of 13.

Hamas officials said 5,000 homes, 16 government buildings and 20 mosques were destroyed and 20,000 houses damaged in the three-week war. (ANI)

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