by Saud Abu Ramadan
RAMALLAH, Nov. 14 (Xinhua) -- Members of the Palestinian National Council (PNC) from the West Bank and Jerusalem on Saturday called on Hamas movement to end the current division as Egypt vowed to resume the dialogue on inter-Palestinian reconciliation by the end of November.
Salim al-Za'noon, speaker of the PNC chaired a meeting in Ramallah attended by PNC members from the West Bank and Jerusalem. The meeting was held to study what are the options for holding the general elections after the Central Elections Committee (CEC) said it is unable to prepare for the elections.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas issued a decree to hold the elections in January 2010. He gave instructions to the CEC to prepare for holding the elections, but after Hamas rejected Abbas' decree, the CEC said it recommends not to hold the elections due to Hamas rejection.
"We express our deep sorrow that the elections committee was unable to help holding the elections on its constitutional time. Hamas is fully responsible for obstructing the elections, therefore Palestine Liberation Organization will be responsible to avoid having any constitutional vacuum," said al-Za'noon.
Gaza-based Hamas movement leader Ahmed Bahar, who is the deputy speaker of the parliament, said his movement doesn't fear from holding the elections, adding that Hamas would accept elections only after the Palestinian factions agree on the inter-reconciliation treaty.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has repeatedly accused Hamas movement for trying to create an alternative body to the PLO, the sole and legitimate representative of the Palestinian people. "PLO is a hard and rigid body that can not be easily broken or dismantled," said al-Za'noon.
Hamas movement seized control of the Gaza Strip by force in June 2007, and routed Abbas security forces. "Continuing the coup in Gaza and refusing to sign on the Egyptian pact of reconciliation, would keep the door opened for more Palestinian suffering," said al-Za'noon.
Egypt in October has drafted a pact for inter-Palestinian reconciliation, calling on the Palestinian factions to sign on the pact. Fatah movement accepted the pact, but Hamas movement, which hasn't yet signed on it, said there are some small reservations that need to be amended.
"Hamas only cares about itself and about keeping its control on the Gaza Strip. It doesn't care about its people, their suffering and also doesn't care about the unity of the Palestinian people and the unity of their territories," said al-Za'noon, who called on Hamas to end the current division as soon as possible.
Earlier reports said on Saturday that Egypt would exert efforts to resume the inter-dialogue over signing on the reconciliation pact by the end of November. The issue was conformed by Palestinian chief negotiator, but was denied by Hamas movement's spokesman in Gaza Sami Abu Zuhri.
Abu Zuhri on Saturday said Hamas movement is unaware of Egypt's intention to resume Palestinian national dialogue next month.
"We have not received invitation for any meeting so far," said Abu Zuhri. "We also say that there is nothing new regarding the reconciliation file and we don't know about an imminent resumption of the dialogue," he told Xinhua.
Cairo suspended its efforts to reunite the Palestinian rivals in October after Hamas rejected an Egyptian proposal to reconcile with Fatah to end the political split in the Palestinian territories.
The split widened in June 2007 when Hamas routed pro-Abbas forces and seized control of the Gaza Strip, keeping Fatah holdings way in the West Bank. All efforts exerted to end the division between Gaza Strip and the West Bank had so far failed.
In a desperate bid to put pressure on Hamas, Abbas decreed presidential and legislative elections to take place by Jan. 24, 2010 but the CEC said it is unable to organize polls because Hamas banned the commission's work in Gaza.
Special Report: Palestine-Israel Conflicts
