Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has threatened that if Hamas does not form a national government with his Fatah group, he would dissolve the parliament and replace it with a technocratic government. The cabinet will consist of a panel of apolitical professionals.
He expressed this intention to EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana, who was on a Middle East tour to revive the peace process.
His avowed intention to dissolve the democratically elected parliament of Hamas is very shocking and unpleasant. If he does so, it would be an insult to the Palestinian people, because they elected Hamas to power to manage their affairs. They did so because they were disgusted with the corruption and apathy of PLO leaders.
A good leader tries to achieve consensus on sensitive issues. But it looks like President Abbas does not believe in consensus politics.
How can he propose such a thing when there are differences among his Fatah colleagues over the issue of a technocratic government? His Fatah colleagues, in a recently held central committee meeting in Amman, opposed the idea of a technocratic government. They told him that they would support the dissolution of parliament if consensus develops among Palestinian factions for a national government.
There is no doubt that the Palestinian people are enduring great tribulations. But the prevailing situation dictates that he must handle it with care. Otherwise it will bring more miseries to the Palestinian people.
Now we are witnessing that his desire to bring back his old colleagues to power is turning into a crisis. There had been reports of clashes between Fatah and Hamas which resulted in the loss of many lives.
It looks as though President Abbas is bent on snatching power from Hamas. According to reports, he has requested Israel to allow his PLO Bader Brigade to enter into the Gaza. This is a clear indication he wants to use power to fulfill his desire.
Article comments