Hamas: PA blocking Tunisian visit

The Palestinian Authority has been pushing to block an expected visit to the Gaza Strip by Tunisian President Moncef Marzoui, according to official Hamas spokesperson, Salah Baradaweel. Hamas sources claimed the Ramallah-based administration had been working hard to cancel the Tunisian delegation, slated for next month. "Why is the Palestinian Authority making such pains to prevent the official delegation, when these visits are supposed to serve the interests of the Palestinian people?” Baradaweel said. "They [the PA] cannot claim to be more legitimate than the government of Gaza, because it was chosen by the people's votes," he claimed. Bardaweel confirmed President Marzouki’s visit would take place, as planned, in late February in order to “look at the massive destruction caused by Israeli attacks, and recognize the area’s need of international support.” Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' office meanwhile issued a statement on Sunday announced the Tunisian visit had been delayed for one month to “give room to the reconciliation agreement between Fatah and Hamas.” Abbas reportedly met with President Marzouki in Addis Ababa on Sunday, on the sidelines of the African Union [AU] summit there. The PA recently criticised Malaysian Prime Minister Mohammed Najib Abdelrazik for making an official visit to Gaza last week, urging for an end to delegations before the formation of a national unity government.