Fatah and Hamas spar over West Bank control

A member of the Palestine Liberation Organisation Executive Committee Wasel Abu Yousef has denounced Abu Marzouq's statements calling for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to hand over control of the West Bank to Hamas. Yousef said: "President Mahmoud Abbas did not talk about dissolving the Palestinian Authority, he is still the president of all Palestinians, and Hamas is part of this Palestinian people." Fatah spokesman Ahmed Assaf also condemned Hamas: "How can Abu Marzouk and Hamas agree to rule the West Bank while settlement construction is continuing there?" Assaf asked. "How can Hamas agree to a state without Jerusalem and the right of return for Palestinian refugees? Does Hamas want to cover up for Israeli occupation and the Judaization of Jerusalem and Islamic holy sites?" Assaf added that it was surprising that Hamas, who always claimed to be unwilling to pursue power and governance, is now contradicting itself by pursuing power over the West Bank, even at the expense of the Palestinian unity. Jamal Muheisen, member of the Fatah Central Council, said that the Palestinians should first hold presidential and legislative elections to choose their leaders. "Whoever wins in the elections will be handed the keys to the entire Palestinian Authority, be it Hamas or Fatah or any other Palestinian faction," Muheisen said. He accused Hamas of conducting secret negotiations in an Arab country to reach an agreement with Israel over the establishment of a Palestinian state with temporary borders in the Gaza Strip and Sinai. The Fatah official claimed that the negotiations were being held under the auspices of the US. "Hamas is seeking to establish its own emirate, while leaving the West Bank as cantons that are separated by settlements," Muheisen charged. "Hamas's goal is to foil the establishment of a Palestinian state on all the territories that were occupied in 1967." He said that Abbas's threat to hand the Palestinian Authority (PA) over to Israel came in response to former Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman's statements against the PA president and the "economic blockade" imposed by Israel on the PA. Addressing the leaders of Christian sects ahead of the New Year, the Israeli president Shimon Peres, made it clear that he believes talks with Hamas are possible, if they accepted the International Quartet's conditions. "People ask about Hamas, why aren't we talking with Hamas? There is nothing wrong with that as long as we get an answer from them," Peres said Monday. "Hamas and Gaza must decide what they want – war or peace. Israel will be glad to see them make achievements and build. We have no satisfaction seeing citizens in Gaza suffering. If they don't fire – they won't be fired on.” According to Peres, "We are willing to talk, but Hamas aren't. They must accept the Quartet conditions. These are not conditions set by us, but by the international community. They must decide if they want peace or fire."