Will Abbas sever ties with Hamas for good?
Tensions between Fatah and Hamas are escalating in light of recent accusations against President Mahmoud Abbas of monopolizing the decision-making process and making one-sided decisions.
Tensions between Fatah and Hamas have been increasing daily, in light of security measures taken by Fatah's Palestinian Authority (PA) in the West Bank since early July, such as the arrest and summoning of Hamas activists. And in early August, Hamas made serious statements against Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
In an Aug. 12 press statement, Mahmoud al-Zahar, a member of Hamas’ political bureau, ruled out a reconciliation between those who fight Israel (meaning Hamas) and those who cooperate with it (referring to Fatah) and said Abbas would lose any future elections. Zahar did not name either Hamas or Fatah directly, however.
Zahar charged Aug. 4 on Al-Aqsa TV that Abbas “has become a burden on the Palestinian people.” Zahar called on Palestinians to take to the street to demand Abbas' departure.
On July 31, Mousa Abu Marzouk, deputy head of Hamas’ political bureau, accused Abbas in a Facebook post of making one-sided decisions and blamed him for the crisis resulting from the absence of reconciliation prospects between Fatah and Hamas. Marzouk added that Abbas is making unilateral decisions within the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), Fatah and the PA, and whoever opposes him is being dismissed from these institutions; thus, no one dares to speak against him.
