PA Chairman Abbas to call on Hamas to form government

The Chairman of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, announced on Friday that he will ask Hamas to form a government following its sweeping parliamentary election victory. „Up until now we haven’t asked anyone to form a government,” Abbas said. „but we’ve negotiated with some of the factions and, of course, we will ask the party that has received the most votes to do so.” Earlier, Hamas officials expressed their wish to form a „political partnership” with Abbas. Hamas high-ranking official, Khaled Mashaal, on Thursday called Abbas from Syria, where he is in exile, to discuss the outcome of the vote, and told him that the Islamic militant group is ready for a political partnership. On Friday Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said he „telephoned President Abbas and we agreed to hold a meeting as soon as he arrives in Gaza, in about two days’ time.” But senior Fatah officials issued dismissive statements of Hamas’ bid for partnership. On Thursday, Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said after a meeting with Abbas „we in Fatah will not join them. We will be a loyal opposition and rebuild the party.” Meanwhile, Hamas and Fatah gunmen exchanged fire in the Gaza Strip on Friday, the first such gun battle since the Islamic militant group?s parliamentary victory. According to witnesses at least two people were wounded in the clash near the city of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip. The witnesses described the incident as a feud over the election results Abbas suggests that future talks with Israel would be held via PLO PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas said on Thursday evening that he remained committed to negotiations with Israel and that he’ll start immediate consultations to form a new government. „I am committed to implementing the program on which you elected me a year ago,” he said in a televised speech. „It is a program based on negotiations and peaceful settlement with Israel.” Abbas also suggested that future negotiations with Israel would be conducted through the Palestine Liberation Organization, a possible bypass to a Hamas-led government. As leader of the Palestine Liberation Organization, Abbas would still remain in charge of negotiations with Israel. Abbas is leader of the PLO, in addition to his role as PA chairman. The PLO was founded as the umbrella group of Palestinian organizations several decades ago, but its importance has withered since the establishment of the Palestinian Authority in 1994. „We are going to reactivate the role of the PLO,” Abbas said. Fatah blames Israel for its loss in elections, destruction of PA Following Hamas’ sweeping victory, senior PA officials blamed Israel for the considerable weakening of their regime, saying Israel?s actions contributed to their defeat at the ballot. Jibril Rajoub, former head of the West Bank Preventive Security Service, who lost in his bid for a parliamentary seat in the Hebron district, said Thursday „Israel has done everything to hurt the Palestinian Authority and sabotaged the chances to negotiate and reach an agreement. Hamas has reaped the fruit of this policy.” Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat, who won re-election to parliament in his hometown of Jericho, said Thursday that Israel bears partial responsibility for Hamas’ victory and the destruction of the Palestinian Authority.