Unknown Gunmen Kill Hamas Leader,  Dr. Hussein Abu Ajwa in Gaza City

Dr. Hussein Ahmad Mustafa Abu Ajwa, a 43-year old resident of El-Tuffah Quarter in Gaza City, was killed yesterday by unknown gunmen. He worked as an associate professor at Al-Aqsa University, and was a leader in Hamas. PCHR's preliminary investigation indicates that at approximately 23:45 on Wednesday, 5 July 2006, a number of unknown gunmen traveling in a white car with governmental license plates chased Dr. Abu Ajwa as he was traveling in his private car and going to his house. They fired at him and injured him in the legs. Then they forcibly took him out of the car and fired lethal shots at his chest. Sources at Shifa Hospital in Gaza informed PCHR's fieldworker that Abu Ajwa was dead when he was brought to the hospital. The cause of death was bullets fired at the chest and legs from a very close range. Izzedeen Al-Qassam Battalions, the armed wing of Hamas, issued a statement on Thursday, 6 July 2006, accusing a group of traitors of killing Abu Ajwa. PCHR strongly condemns the murder of Dr. Hussein Abu Ajwa, which is part of the security chaos plaguing the Occupied Palestinian Territory. The Centre calls upon the PNA, represented by the Attorney-General, to investigate these incidents and bring the perpetrators to justice.  #2 Security Chaos and Proliferation of Small Arms Misuse of Weapons by Armed Groups and Security Forces


2 Members of Izzedeen El-Qassam Battalions Killed in a Mysterious Explosion Gaza City. At approximately 13:10 on Wednesday, 5 July 2006, two Palestinians were killed in a mysterious explosion in a house located in the densely-populated Zaitoon Quarter in Gaza City. PCHR's preliminary investigation indicates that both were members of Izzedeen El-Qassam Battalions, the armed wing of Hamas. It is believed that they were preparing an explosive device that detonated by mistake. The explosion killed them instantly, and tore their bodies apart. It was difficult to recognize them immediately after the explosion. Sources at Shifa Hospital in Gaza informed PCHR's fieldworker that the two dead Palestinians are from Zaitoon Quarter in Gaza City: Ammar Arafat H'jazi (24); and Ahmad Kamal El-Wasaifi (22). PCHR is concerned over the continued falling of victims by the misuse of weapon or storing weapons in civilian areas, which falls under the security chaos plaguing the Occupied Palestinian Territory. The Centre calls upon the PNA, represented by the Attorney-General, to investigate these incidents and bring the perpetrators to justice.

Security Chaos and Proliferation of Small Arms. Armed Personal and Clan Clashes. Small Girl Killed in a Clan Clash in Nuseirat Refugee Camp. A 12-year old girl was killed this morning in an armed intra-clan clash in Nuseirat refugee camp in the Gaza Strip. PCHR's preliminary investigation indicates that at approximately 00:00 on Thursday, 6 July 2006, a dispute within the Abu M'hadi clan erupted in the western part of Nuseirat refugee camp over an old dispute on a piece of land. The dispute evolved into an armed clash that resulted in the death of Shayma' Mohammad Abu M'hadi (12) by a bullet in the chest. The girl's body was taken to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir El-Balah. It is noted that this is the third incident where people were injured or killed in clan clashes. An armed clash between Foujo and El-Arja clan in Rafah on 1 July 2006 resulted in the injury of 4 people from both sides. And on 2 July 2006, Basil Mahmoud Thari (40) from Beit Lahya was killed by his brother who works in the Preventive Security Apparatus in a personal dispute. PCHR is extremely worried over the continued security chaos that includes the use of arms in personal and clan disputes. The Centre strongly condemns these crimes that are taking place at a critical time for the Palestinian people in light of the Israeli military operation against the Gaza Strip. The Centre calls upon the PNA, represented by the Attorney-General, to investigate these incidents and bring the perpetrators to justice.
 

Abbas blames Hamas for crisis

Photo: Corporal Gilad Shalit.

GAZA CITY: Palestinian militants holding an Israeli soldier issued a new set of demands on Saturday, calling for the release of 1,000 prisoners and a halt to Israel's military offensive in Gaza. But Israel rejected them, even as Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas said indecision within Hamas is one obstacle to ending the crisis. The Palestinian deputy minister of prisoner affairs, Ziad Abu Aen, said mediators had told him the Israeli soldier, Corporal Gilad Shalit, was injured in the Sunday raid in which he was captured but was alive. "He has three wounds. I guess shrapnel wounds," Abu Aen said, adding that Shalit was in stable condition. The latest militant demands were issued as Israel kept up military pressure on the Palestinians, launching new air strikes throughout Gaza for a fourth straight night and firing artillery rounds at the southern and northern parts of the coastal strip from tanks and navy gunboats. One of the targets was a Hamas training camp. There were no reports of casualties. Concerned about the rising tensions, the UN Security Council held an emergency meeting on Friday to discuss the standoff. The Palestinians asked the council to condemn Israel's actions and order a halt to the offensive, but no resolution was circulated - apparently because of opposition by the US. Meanwhile, Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas said on Saturday that Egyptian efforts to diplomatically resolve a crisis with Israel are being set back by confusion about who has the decision-making power on the Palestinian side: the Hamas government or the militants holding the captive. "The efforts by the Egyptians are facing difficulties due to the absence of an address on the Hamas side capable of taking decisions," said Abbas, the leader of the Fatah movement.

Gaza militants say fired chemical-tipped warhead. A spokesman for gunmen in the Gaza Strip said they had fired a rocket tipped with a chemical warhead at Israel early on Sunday. The Israeli army had no immediate comment on the claim by the spokesman from the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, an armed wing of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah movement. The group had recently claimed to possess about 20 biological warheads for the makeshift rockets commonly fired from Gaza at Israeli towns. This was the first time the group had claimed firing such a rocket. "The al-Aqsa Brigades have fired one rocket with a chemical warhead" at southern Israel, Abu Qusai, a spokesman for the group, said in Gaza. An Israeli military spokeswoman said the army had not detected that any such rocket was fired, nor was there any report of such a weapon hitting Israel.

President Calls the Arab League to Transfer Money. GAZA, (WAFA - PLO news agency)- President Mahmoud Abbas called on the Secretary General of the League of Arab States, Amr Moussa, to transfer the money to the account of the Palestinian National Authority. In a statement to WAFA, Spokesperson of Presidency, Nabil Abu Rdina, said that President Abbas sent a letter to Moussa calling him to transfer money, specified for the Palestinian people, to the account of the PNA. He added that his call comes as an attempt to face the difficult situation the Palestinian people live.

Palestinian Presidency Calls International Community to Prevent Israel from its Reaction

GAZA, (WAFA - PLO news agency)- Presidency said that it will launch an immediate and comprehensive investigation on the operation against Israeli military post east of Gaza. In a statement issued Sunday, Presidency called on the international community and the Quartet Committee to prevent Israel from exploiting the operation for carrying out wide aggression against the Gaza Strip. Presidency said that such expected aggression would be a gift for those parties who want escalation in which the Palestinian people would "pay the price." Presidency said that all Palestinian factions agreed on the resumption of the truce and halting all actions against Israeli occupation for not offering them the opportunity to close Rafah Border Crossing or to escalate aggression against Gaza. Presidency asserted that such operation (against military post) contradicts  the internal Palestinian understandings. The statement of Presidency wondered on how factions agreed on halting operations against Israeli military while carrying out such operations. Presidency affirmed that such operations are against the Palestinian  "national consensus."

Security Chaos and Proliferation of Small Arms Using Weapons in Personal and Clan Disputes

PCHR: Four Palestinians Killed and Six Injured, including One Child, in Armed Clan and Personal Disputes. Four Palestinians were killed and another six injured, including one child, during armed clan and personal disputes, which took place over the past 24 hours in Salfit, Beit Lahya and Rafah. The latest incident occurred at approximately 12:30 on Sunday, 2 July 2006, and resulted in the death of Zahir Salman Maharieqa (27) from the town of Deir Esteya near Salfit.  Zahir was an activist in the Al-Aqsa Martyrs  Brigades.  He was in a barber shop in the El-Zaytoona building in the center of Salfit when Tha'er Suliman Madi, a 26-year-old resident of Salfit, fired at him, hitting him with a bullet to the head that killed him instantly. The incident was motivated by a personal dispute.  Immediately after the incident, gunmen from the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades arrived and chased Tha'er in the building.  They fired at him and hit him with several bullets to the chest that killed him.  In addition, two bystanders were injured, one of them a child.  The injured are: Ra'ed Eshtayya (25-year-old resident of Salfit), who was hit by several bullets to the abdomen and legs.  His condition is serious;  Mohammad Saleh Abu Salmeyya (15) was injured by shrapnel to the hip.  His injuries are minor. In a related development, members of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades headed to the Salfit Hospital, where Zahir Maharieqa's body was being kept.  They found Fa'iq Ata Madi (50), Tha'er Madi's uncle, inside the hospital.  They fired at him, hitting with several bullets to the chest that killed him instantly. At approximately 10:00 on Saturday, 1 July 2006, Basel Mahmoud Thari, a 40-year-old resident of Beit Lahya, was hit by two bullets to the chest and died instantly.  At the time, he was in his car near the western square in Beit Lahya.  His brother, who works in the Preventive Security, had shot him as result of a personal dispute.  The body was taken to Kamal Odwan Hospital in Beit Lahya. At approximately 12:30 on Saturday, 1 July 2006, a clan clash erupted between the Foujo and El-Arja clans in the Amer Housing Project in the eastern part of Rafah.  The clash escalated and weapons were used.  Four men were injured: Sa'di Mohammad Foujo (21) was hit by two bullets to the right leg; Mohammad Awad Foujo (60) was hit by a sharp object to the head; Mo'een Ahmad El-Arja (22) was hit all over the body with a sharp object; and Yaser Ahmad El-Arja (30) was hit all over the body with a sharp object. The first two men were taken to the European Hospital for treatment and the other two were taken to Mohammad Yousef El-Najjar Hospital for treatment. All the injuries were listed as moderate.

PCHR is concerned about the continuation of internal violence, including the use of weapons in personal and clan disputes, which perpetuates the current state of security chaos in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.  The Centre calls upon the PNA, represented by the Attorney-General, to investigate these attacks and to bring the perpetrators to justice.

Official denies reports on Abbas' plan to form emergency government

GAZA-Mohamed Dahlan, a Fatah lawmaker, denied on Saturday reports that President Mahmoud Abbas was planning to form an emergency government to replace the Hamas-led one. It was reported that after Israel detained one third of Hamas-led cabinet ministers in the West Bank, Abbas was weighing the formation of an emergency government.  "These reports are totally untrue. This subject has not been even raised by the Palestinian leadership," Dahlan told reporters.  "All parties should respect the Palestinian democratic choice for choosing the Hamas movement," he said. Hamas, which ran for the January legislative election for the first time, dominated the Palestinian Legislative Council with 74seats out of 132. According to the law, it formed a new Palestinian government. Following the kidnapping of an Israeli soldier by Palestinian militants last Sunday, Israel arrested eight Hamas-led cabinet ministers and 21 Hamas lawmakers in the West Bank on Thursday. "We respect the determination of the people and we respect the government led by the Hamas movement, which is totally legal," Dahlan said. "We hope that the ongoing efforts would bring about fruits to end the abduction crisis," he said. Enditem
 

PA PM Haniya: No peace unless refugees return to inside Israel and also compensated for years of expulsion

"Mr. Haniya further emphasized that the region can never enjoy security and stability unless the occupation comes to an end, and our people obtain their legitimate rights, particularly the right to establish their independent, sovereign state, with Jerusalem as its capital, the right of refugees to return homes and be compensated for the many years of expulsion and dispersion, and the right of prisoners to be released from Israeli jails. "


Palestinian Prime Minister Officially Opens the Conference on "The New Palestinian Government and the Human Rights Agenda". With the participation of at least 500 officials, representatives of political factions, representatives of NGOs, academics, jurists, media officials and representatives of a number of international organizations, on Wednesday morning, 21 June 2006, the Palestinian Prime Minister, Mr. Ismail Haniya, opened a conference on "The New Palestinian Government and the Human Rights Agenda."  The two-day conference is organized by PCHR in Gaza City. The conference seeks to establish a framework for dialogue and exchange of viewpoints between representatives of the government and those of civil society organizations, including human rights organizations, on human rights issues.  The conference will consist of three major sections, each of which will focus on a number of issues related to Palestinian human rights to be discussed between civil society organizations and the government, hoping for adoption of specific and clear governmental policies with regard to outstanding issues, taking into consideration the demands of civil society organizations, including human rights ones. The three sections will focus on: civil and political rights; economic, social and cultural rights; and the rights of women and groups. In his opening speech, Prime Minister Haniya thanked PCHR and its director of their persistent efforts to unveil Israeli violations of Palestinian human rights. He also congratulated PCHR for being granted a number of international awards in appreciation of its distinguished role in defending Palestinian human rights. Talking about human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Mr. Haniya added, is full of bitterness, pain and suffering, as our people have faced for many years the horrible policies practiced by Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF), referring to the childhood slaughter that took place on Tuesday in Sheikh Radwan neighborhood in Gaza City, as an extension of a series of indiscriminate killings committed by IOF against all segments of our people. Mr. Haniya further emphasized that the region can never enjoy security and stability unless the occupation comes to an end, and our people obtain their legitimate rights, particularly the right to establish their independent, sovereign state, with Jerusalem as its capital, the right of refugees to return homes and be compensated for the many years of expulsion and dispersion, and the right of prisoners to be released from Israeli jails. Mr. Haniya also highly appreciated the role played by human rights organizations and international solidarity movements in supporting our people and their just cause, demanding international bodies, especially the United Nations, to assume their role in conflict resolution and restoration of the rights of persecuted peoples. In addition, Mr. Haniya asserted that NGOs played a leading role in forming the public opinion, steering the public consciousness, enhancing the national affiliation, and establishing a civil society based on the values of democracy, human rights and equality regardless of sex, ethnicity and religion.  He repented the setback of the concepts of the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary in the past few years, which has led to security chaos and dangerous phenomena that threat the social safety.  Mr. Haniya further said: "When we came to power, we had the ambition to bring back our people's trust in their homeland and their feeling of safety and security, and provide them with appropriate living conditions, through an integral project of continuing the process of liberation, while completing the process of construction." Mr. Haniya also asserted that his government would continue to achieve its platform, and construct the Palestinian society on the foundations of democracy, the rule of law, respect for the judiciary, the separation of powers, respect for human rights, equality, protection of public freedoms, and protection of the freedom of expression. Earlier, Mr. Raji Sourani, Director of PCHR, started the proceedings of the conference with a speech, in which he welcomed the Palestinian Prime Minister and the attendants.  He highly appreciated the quiet and peaceful transition of authority following the death of the Palestinian President Yasser Arafat, including holding presidential, local and legislative elections.  He pointed out that the Palestinian people's will achieved victory on 25 January 2006 (the day of Palestinian legislative elections), which might have been the only democratic and transparent elections in the Arab World, as it was highly appreciated by local and international observers since it was a true expression of the Palestine voters' will. Mr. Sourani stated that the current Palestinian government, since it swore the constitutional oath on 29 March 2006, has been fired at "in the political conception" and has been targeted by the international community, particularly the western democracies, which talk about the values of democracy, human rights, and people's wills and elections as a means for authority circulation. Moreover, Mr. Sourani indicated that civil society organizations, including human rights ones, criticized previous governments for concerns over many issues, such as state security courts, corruption and arbitrary arrests. Human rights organizations paid the price for such criticism.  Mr. Sourani added that we are now in a new era with a new government, and it is necessary to hear from the government and explore its positions, as we will gather next year to discuss the outcome of this year at the levels of democracy and civil and political rights. Mr. Sourani also reiterated the position of civil society organizations, including human rights ones, rejecting the boycott and siege imposed on the Palestinian government and people, which are inhuman, are not consistent with internationally accepted standards and do not respect the people's will.  He further expressed concerns over the deteriorating internal situation, calling upon all Palestinian national factions to gather to protect the interests of our people and society and confront those who threaten the people's security.

JUNE 2006 NEWS

Director of the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights denies Palestinian commitment to peaceful resolution?

"Director of the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights] Sourani ... also stressed that the Palestinian issue is one of human rights, since the first and third articles of the International Declaration of Human Rights established the rights of self determination and resistance against the occupation."]

PCHR. Palestinian Centre for Human Rights: Closing Session of the New Palestinian Government and the Human Rights Agenda. The second and final day of PCHR's conference entitled "The New Palestinian Government and the Human Rights Agenda" ended on the afternoon of Thursday, 22 June 2006, in Gaza City.  Former Health Minister, Dr. Riyad Zanoun, headed the second session of the day and the last session of the conference. The session discussed economic, social, and cultural rights, and included four presentations. Dr. Majdi Ashour, a researcher in health policy and management, presented a paper on "Right to Health: deterioration of health conditions as a result of the boycott and suspension of funding."  The speaker stated that the suspension of the transfer of Palestinian tax revenues to the Palestinian treasury, the stoppage of international funding of Palestinian governmental institutions, and forcing Palestinian commercial banks not to deal with the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) will have an effect on the performance of the health sector and on health conditions in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT). Ashour pointed out that the most concerning indicators include the deterioration in infant mortality, despite the sustained and continuous historic improvement in this area over the past decades.  He stated that this deterioration started in the year 2000.  In addition, he pointed to the increase in psychological problems, especially those pertaining to post-traumatic stress, and to the increase in health problems caused by malnutrition, especially among children and child-bearing women.  In addition, Ashour pointed to the increase in casualties by Israeli violence. Mr. Ahmad Dahbour, the under-secretary of the Ministry of Culture, spoke about stimulating cultural life in Palestine.  He stated that institutional cultural activity was absent from the Palestine context despite the great contributions of cultural figures to the Palestinian cause prior to the establishment of the PLO.  He stated that the term culture was only integrated into the PLO in May 1974.  In addition, he pointed out that the Oslo Accords did not include the word culture in its texts.  He stated Palestinian cultural achievements were mostly individual and not institutional. Dahbour summed up his recommendations to the government and to Palestinian society as a whole in one point: the necessity of establishing the foundations and motivation for Palestinian cultural activity relying on civil society institutions, since the official Palestinian establishment is unable to bear this responsibility. Dr. Amer El-Khatib, professor of Philosophy at Al-Azhar University, presented a paper on "Right to Education: effect of the boycott on the educational sector."  He stated that stopping international aid to the Palestinian people will have grave effects in the short and medium terms, particularly on the educational sector.  He stressed the importance of maintaining the Palestinian educational system, the main tool of influencing and shaping society. El-Khatib pointed to the effects of the economic boycott on Palestinian students, on educational spending, the high percentage of salaries in educational spending, lack of investment in education, the importance of elementary education compared to secondary education, and the percentage of educational spending in the general budget. Dr. Basem Na'im, Minister of Health, gave a presentation about the overall health situation and its main indicators in the period before the formation of the new government and afterwards.  In addition, he talked about the work that the government has done and is intent on carrying out.  He pointed to the fact that many hospitals and clinics have been built since the establishment of the PNA, indicating that the Ministry of Health has become the major healthcare provider in the OPT. Na'im stated that since taking office, the Ministry of Health has been working in various fields on the internal and external fronts.  On the internal level, he pointed to cut backs on spending, especially in external referrals, without affecting the quality of service provided to the public. He stressed the importance of efforts to strengthen the relationship of the Ministry with the public.  He also stressed the fact that the international community is obliged to support the Palestinian people, since it provides the occupying power with the cover and silent consent it needs to continue the occupation and perpetrate its crimes. The floor was opened for questions and discussion before the closing speech
by Mr. Raji Sourani. In the closing speech, Sourani reaffirmed the motive and justification for holding the conference.  He pointed to the fact that Palestinian human rights organizations and civil society institutions did not have an easy relationship with previous Palestinian governments or with Israel, due to their work in exposing human rights violations on both fronts. He added that there is a newly elected government that is different from previous governments and with this comes concerns and recommendations from civil society that must be discussed with this new government.  He stressed that dialogue and collective work, despite differing opinions, is the only way Palestinian society can develop, since Palestine cannot be monopolized by any single party. Sourani commended the government's interaction with the conference.  He pointed out that the Prime Minister and six Ministers or their deputies attended the conference, indicating that this wide participation is indicative of the importance the government gave to the conference. Sourani also commended international human rights organizations and solidarity groups, some of which were represented at the conference.  He commended their solidarity with Palestinians over the years.  He also stressed that the Palestinian issue is one of human rights, since the first and third articles of the International Declaration of Human Rights established the rights of self determination and resistance against the occupation.  He stated that Palestinians will not forgive the enemy that kills children and that the perpetrators of these crimes will be brought to justice.  Sourani also stressed the importance of maintaining a higher moral ground than the occupation, and to avoid committing crimes similar to what the occupation commits. Dr. Riyad Zanoun ended the conference by commending PCHR for holding the conference in an effort to strengthen the ties between the people and their government.  He stressed that Palestinians have one homeland and are one society; thus they have no choice but to establish harmony and compassion among each other and to respect differing opinions.

Dr. Aaron Lerner: Yasser Arafat's September 9, 1993 letter to Yitzhak Rabin (and the agreements that followed that repeated this) committing on behalf of the Palestinian People to "a peaceful resolution of the conflict. . . resolved through negotiations" forfeited whatever "right" to violent "resistance" the Palestinians could have conceivably had prior to Oslo.

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Justice Minister Directs Letter to Human Rights Watch over the Arrest of For MPs. Amman, (Petra - Jordan News Agency)--Justice Minister Abed Shakhanbeh directed a letter to Human Rights Watch due to its criticism of the government over the arrest of four Islamic Action Front MPs, who had participated in condoling Abu Musab Zarqawi's family by glorifying his terrorist acts. The minister affirmed that the MPs had been arrested after eight families of victims massacred in the Amman terrorist bombings brought charges against them. The MPs are accused of violating Jordanian laws and inciting hate, violence and sedition.

Following is the text of the letter: Human Rights Watch criticized the government of Jordan in its June 17th news report entitled "Jordan: Rise in Arrests Restricting Free Speech" for the arrest of four Islamic Action Front MPs, who had participated in condoling Abu Musab Zarqawi's family by glorifying his terrorists acts. The Islamic Action Front Mps were arrested by the authorities after eight families of victims massacred in November 2005 in the Amman terrorist bombings had brought charges against them. They are charged with violation of Jordanian laws on incitement to hate, violence and sedition (article 150 of the penal code). No country would accept that its citizens publicly glorify terrorists and mass murderers. More so, no country would accept that members of its legislative institutions and the representatives of its citizens support and encourage terrorism against their own population. The four MPs detained did not simply perform a social or religious duty by extending condolences to the family of a deceased individual. But instead, they chose to glorify crimes against their own by defending a terrorist and honoring him by calling him a martyr. Thus, they are encouraging others to follow his example in slaughtering innocent women and children. Those MPs are not ordinary citizens expressing their right to freedom of speech, but public representatives from a major political party, who are responsible to the Jordanian people. Accordingly, their actions clearly constitute an insult to the dignity of the families and memory of the victims, and would cause sedition in society. Guaranteeing the freedom of speech does not mean allowing the glorification of terrorism or terrorists by any legal standard or social value. The Jordanian government will not interfere in the legal procedure as this issue unfolds and is confident that the judiciary will be able to reach a just decision according to Jordanian laws to protect its citizens from incitement to violence and sedition, while respecting their rights and freedoms under the constitution. Jordan will not tolerate those who are determined to spread a culture of hatred and intolerance in society in the name of religion or freedom of speech. Our laws will remain the ultimate guarantor that keeps us free from the culture of violence.

Minister of Justice
Abed Shakhanbeh
[IMRA: "No country would accept that its citizens publicly glorify terrorists and mass murderers" - refers to Jordan - not the Palestinian Authority]

Syria and Iran to Enhance Defense Relations. TEHRAN, (SANA - Syrian News Agency). Defense Minister Hasan Turkmani on Tuesday said that the Israeli continued aggressive policy and the unlimited support extended to Israel stand behind the continuation of conflict, tension and instability in the Middle East. Turkmani's comments came during a meeting with Chief of the General Leadership of the Iranian Armed Forces Sayyed Hasan Fayrouz Abadi where both sides underlined the importance of exchanging defense delegations between both sides. Turkmani, also Deputy Leader of the Army and Armed Forces, stressed the significance of the standing relations between Syria and Iran, particularly in the defensive ties. Abadi, for his part, referred to the distinguished role played by Syria in resisting the occupation, stressing the necessity of continuing resistance until the Israeli full withdrawal from the occupied Arab lands.

Arab League Foreign Ministers Adopt Draft Resolution Rejecting Israeli  Acting PM's Unilateral Plan for West Bank

International Press Center [Official PA website]. Arab League foreign ministers meeting in Khartoum on Sunday adopted a draft resolution rejecting Israeli Acting PM's plan for a unilateral withdrawal from the West Bank. Foreign ministers from Arab League nations convened today in Friends Hall, Khartoum, Sudan to lay the groundwork for Tuesday's two-day summit of Arab leaders. The foreign ministers of Arab states convened at the Sudanese capital city Khartoum asserted in their final communiqué that their governments will continue supporting the Palestinian people and its national authority, and condemned the latest Israeli measures and closure of crossing points in Gaza Strip. According to the communiqué, the Arab foreign ministers approved a resolution concerning the Palestinian issue, which will be submitted to the Arab Summit, which calls to funding the budget of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) for another period starting in the beginning of April, and inviting the international community and the Quartet Committee to resume their efforts regarding the Middle East peace process. The resolution also highly values and praises the Arab states that have fulfilled its financial commitments to the PNA, in accordance with the resolutions of former Arab summits, and tasks the Secretariat General of the Summit to issue a monthly report to follow-up the commitment of member states. Also, the resolution calls on the international community to continue its financial support to the PNA and respect the Palestinians' democratic choice, warning that cutting off the assistance would reflect seriously on the Palestinian people's economic and social conditions, not to mention affecting security and stability in the entire region. Arab foreign ministers demanded the PNA, in their resolution, prepare a report on the size of assistance and funding it can lose in case donor countries insisted on imposing political conditions on the new Palestinian government that do not conform with the Palestinian goals and interests. This report will be submitted to the League of Arab States on the ministerial level in its next round.

Moreover, the resolution condemned the Israeli measures against the PNA, mainly freezing the transfer of the monthly Palestinian customs and tax revenues, as well as the closures of crossing points between Israel and Gaza Strip, which further hurts the daily life of the civilian population there. In addition to Arab and world governments, the resolution also called on Arab financial and economic funds and institutions to contribute to supporting the Palestinian people, and intensify their programs of financial and technical aid, in order to enhance the economic abilities of the Palestinian people. On the trade exchange level, the resolution called on all Arab states to exempt Palestinian products and goods from customs fees and taxes when entering their markets, in order to further boost the Palestinian economy,  praising the countries that already gave such instructions to their border crossings and customs offices. Furthermore, the resolution called on the Qaurtet to resume its active work in bringing about a just and everlasting peace to the region, based on the United Nations resolutions of relevance and the principle of land for peace. It also stressed the Arab states' refusal of Israel's unilateral steps and solution that aim to annex more Palestinian lands and prevent a viable and independent Palestinian state. In this regard, the resolution called on international organizations and world governments not to recognize Israel's unilateral solutions or measures, or deal with any guarantees or promises that would undermine the Palestinian people's legitimate rights, and reward the Israeli occupation for expanding illegal settlements and constructing the Apartheid Wall in the occupied Palestinian territories, including East Jerusalem.

 

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PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY NEWS

President Abbas Calls for Halting Rockets at Israel Amidst Israeli threats of Wide Offensive on the Strip. RAMMALALH, (IPC+ Agencies) [Official PA website]- -President Mahmoud Abbas called Tuesday on all-encompassing armed factions to immediately halt shooting homemade makeshift rockets towards southern Israel while Israel has been escalating its threats to launch a wide scale offensive on the Strip, holding those uncommitted with the calming down the responsibility for any possible Israeli attack on Gaza. In a statement, spokesman of the presidency said "in the light if the Israeli threats to wage a wide attack against Gaza Strip, the President Abbas called for halting firing the rockets and to totally and immediately abide by the truce with the Israeli side." It added "the President brings each faction do not abide by truce the responsibility for any devastation and casualties yielded due to likely attacks Israel beckons to launch." It also added that Abbas called on the High Follow-up Committee (consists of all Palestinian organizations) to hold an extraordinary meeting in Gaza and to issue a joint statement reiterating truce and protecting the Palestinian people and land. Deadly Israeli shelling on the Gaza Strip last week in which seven member of Ghalyia family were killed at picnic at Gaza seashore prompted the armed Palestinian factions in particular Hamas to scrap a 16-month-old truce and fire homemade rockets into southern Israel. Israel has been threatening a harsh retaliation on the Palestinian makeshift rockets triggered from Gaza Strip. The Israeli defense minister Amir Peretz hinted Sunday the possibility to launch a broad offensive in an attempt to stop rockets. Israeli press has reported Pertz said in Sedort "we have responses to the firing of Qassam rockets and we are not inclined to lag." "Within the coming ten hours a big change will happen in the security issue and it would be no terror organizations in safety," Israeli defense minister added. The Israeli mass circulation newspaper Yeodit Ahranot reported that the Israeli army chief of staff Dan Halautz and his deputy Moshe Kasbalanki have been starting intensive talks to study the prospect of a wide- scale operation on Gaza Strip.
 

President Abbas Renews Call on Israelis to Return to Negotiating Table. PETRA, (WAFA- PLO news agency) - President Mahmoud Abbas renewed Wednesday call on the Israelis to return to the negotiating table to discuss all of the relevant issues for the sake of reaching a settlement on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. The President was speaking with Nobel Peace Prize winner Elie Wiesel on the sidelines of the conference of Nobel Prize winners which opened in Petra in south Jordan. He called on the Nobel Prize winners to support the peace process, saying the Palestinian people are victims of wars for a whole century, "so they need just peace, based on international legitimacy." President Abbas said he devalued the ability of the Aparthied Wall to halt bombing attacks against Israel, asserting that the reduction of the attacks against Israel is due to the efforts of the Palestinian forces that arrest those who try to infiltrate into Israel to carry out such attacks. He asserted that east Jerusalem is part of the lands occupied in 1967 and  the Israelis should withdraw from it.
 

Abbas Puts Security Personnel on High Alert to End Security Looseness. GAZA, IPC+ Agencies) -[Official PA website] -The President Mahmoud Abbas instructed all the Palestinian security personnel to go on high alert yesterday after the unprecedented sporadic anarchy started in Rafah city, south Gaz Strip. Rafah's incidents resulted in two fatalities, 15 others wounded, in which members of Hamas shelled the preventive security building in the city and besieged it. The chaos flamed to the neighboring city of Khanyouins , them extended to Rammallah and Al Birah in the evening in which militants stormed the council minister and legislative council buildings in Rammallah and kidnapping a deputy from Hamas before the presidency guards intervention and stopped the security looseness and secure the release of the deputy and offered shield for Hams deputies in Rammallah. Official sources announced that the President instructed the security services, Presidency Guards, National security and police to balk at all forms of armed showing in the Palestinian territories. The situation is relatively calm and under control after r the deployment of tens of policemen, security personnel to control security chaos and protect PNA institutions.
 

Serious Escalation in Tensions between Fatah and Hamas in the Gaza Strip and  West Bank

PCHR strongly condemned the ongoing armed clashes in various areas of the Gaza Strip involving members of the Interior Ministry Executive Force and members of Izzedeen El-Qassam Brigades against members of the Preventive Security Apparatus and activists from Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades.  These clashes are a serious escalation of tensions between Fatah and Hamas, and have resulted in the deaths of two Palestinians and the injury of seventeen others over the past day.  The Centre condemns the repeated attacks on Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) buildings in Ramallah and Salfit and the kidnappings that have been taking place on both sides, including the abduction of a PLC member. PCHR's preliminary investigation indicates that at approximately 13:10 on Monday, 12 June 2006, armed clashes broke out between members of the Preventive Security and the Izzedeen El-Qassam Brigades in Rafah.  The clashes resulted in the injury of Hamas member Hammad Hamed Abu Jazar (21) with three bullets to the chest, abdomen and foot.  He was taken to the European Hospital in Khan Yunis, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. The clashes erupted near the headquarters of the Preventive Security in Rafah during the funeral procession of a Hamas activist, who had been killed a few days earlier during clashes between both sides. After the death of Abu Jazar was announced, a group from the Izzedeen El-Qassam Brigades and Interior Ministry Executive Force surrounded the Preventive Security compound in Rafah.  Fierce clashes erupted between both sides.  Automatic weapons, hand grenades and rockets were used in the clashes.  A passerby was killed during the clashes and seventeen others, mostly civilians, were injured.  The civilian killed was Suliman Khamis Zannoun (36), who was deaf.  He was killed by a bullet to the chest. At the same time these clashes were taking place, an armed group fired at Ayman Mohammad Abu Hatab, a 34-year-old resident of Shaboura refugee camp and a member of the Preventive Security.  He was injured by three bullets to the pelvis and feet.  He was taken to the European Hospital in Khan Yunis. The armed group kidnapped him from the hospital and then released him shortly afterwards.  He was taken to Naser Hospital in Khan Yunis after his release due to the severity of his injuries. At approximately 17:30 on the same day, gunmen from the Izzedeen El-Qassam Brigades intercepted a civilian vehicle near Ma'an School in Khan Yunis. Two Preventive Security Officers, Fayez Hasan Qweider (46) and Fathi Abdel Qadir F'seifis (46), were in the car at the time.  The gunmen ordered the officers to get out of the car and surrender their weapons.  Relatives of Qweider intervened in the situation and shots were fired.  Three members of the Qweider clan, including a child, were injured.  At around the same time, gunmen from the Izzedeen El-Qassam Brigades intercepted another vehicle on the same street.  Five members of Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades (the armed wing of Fatah), including the brother of the commander of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades in Khan Yunis, were in the vehicle at the time.  The armed group forced the passengers out of the vehicle and took them to a nearby cemetery. One of the captives managed to run away.  The rest of the captives were beaten, stripped of their weapons and released half an hour later. In response to the kidnapping of their colleagues, dozens of Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades members stormed the house and private clinic of Dr. Salah El-Rantisi at approximately 18:00.  El-Rantisi is the brother of the assassinated Hamas leader Abdel Aziz El-Rantisi.  The incident took place in the Sheikh Naser area of Khan Yunis.  One of the assailants was injured by shrapnel to the foot after firing at the gate.  The assailants destroyed a medical laboratory in the clinic.  The laboratory belonged to a physician from the Al-Astal clan.  Then the assailants abducted El-Rantisi and took him to a nearby house in the El-Qassas area.  They destroyed El-Rantisi's car.  At approximately 20:30 on the same day, Rantisi was released after intervention from local community leaders.  Hamas members returned the
weapons they had confiscated from the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades. The clashes extended to the West Bank.  Dozens of gunmen from the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades gathered in central Ramallah at approximately 18:00 to protest the incidents in Gaza.  They fired heavily in the air.  Then, they stormed the Palestinian Cabinet building in the El-Maysoun area of Ramallah. They fired their guns during the attack and set fire to the Palestinian Cabinet archive on the third floor of the building.  In addition, they destroyed windows.  At around the same time, dozens of gunmen from the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades stormed the nearby PLC building.  They fired at the windows and threw stones at the building before storming inside.  They set fire to the southeast section of the ground floor and threw computers out the windows. An hour later, gunmen from the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades stormed the offices of the "Change and Reform" parliamentary bloc, affiliated with Hamas, in Ramallah.  They abducted PLC member Khalil El-Reb'ei, covering his face and driving off in a car.  He was released less than an hour later. And at approximately 23:30, unknown gunmen set fire to the PLC offices in Salfit.  The building was destroyed completely. After the attacks on the PLC buildings in Ramallah and Salfit and the kidnapping of a Hamas lawmaker, Hamas called its supporters to participate in large demonstrations and protests.  The marches took place at around midnight in locations all over the Gaza Strip. At approximately 23:30, during a Hamas demonstration in El-Bureij refugee camp, the demonstrators shouted slogans against the Preventive Security, calling it a traitorous group.  A member of the Preventive Security fired at the crowd, injuring two demonstrators moderately.  They were taken to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir El-Balah. PCHR condemned these clashes, and  pointed with concern to the continued escalation in the use of arms by Palestinian groups and security services, which is causing a serious  deterioration in the state of security chaos currently plaguing the OPT; stressed that these incidents are aggravating the security chaos in the absence of any serious legal action by the PNA to confront the situation; called upon the PNA, represented by the Attorney-General to seriously investigate these incidents and bring the perpetrators to justice; and called upon all Palestinian factions to engage in dialogue and refrain from using violence and weapons in solving disputes, and to refrain from targeting civilians.
 

Abbas, Haniyeh Differ on Referendum, Agree on Dialogue
Ehud Olmert Torpedoes Referendum as 'Meaningless Internal Game'


Palestine Media Center - PMC - Official PA website. Despite Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's pr-emptive rejection of the Palestinian President's referendum decision as a "meaningless internal game," Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh met in Gaza city on Saturday night but failed to agree over the July 26 referendum called by Abbas on a two-state solution for the conflict with Israel and both men were scheduled to meet again on Sunday. "The referendum is an internal game between one faction and the other," Olmert told the Financial Times in an extensive interview. "It is meaningless in terms of the broad picture of chances towards some kind of dialogue between us and the Palestinians. It's meaningless." Abbas on Saturday signed and issued a presidential decree setting a date for the referendum on the "prisoners' document" on Wednesday, July 26. The referendum will be on a so-called "document of national accord," based on proposals by a group of leading Palestinian detainees in the jails of the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF). It was made public on May 10. Al-Tayeb Abdul Rahim, the Secretary General of the Palestinian presidency, read the decree to reporters in the West Bank town of Ramallah. "As chairman of the PLO Executive Committee and president of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), I have decided to exercise my constitutional right and duty to hold a referendum over the document of national accord," the decree read. "The Palestinian people in Jerusalem, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip are asked to give their verdict in a referendum on July 26th on the document of national unity, the prisoners' document," the decree said in its first article. Palestinians will asked on July 26 to vote "yes" or "no" on the question: "Do you agree with the document of national accord -- the prisoner's document?" Abdel Rahim told reporters that, "The Palestinian Central Elections Commission will organize, administer and supervise the referendum," he said. "It will also take all necessary measures to ensure freedom of the vote so that it would reflect the will of the absolute majority of the Palestinians." Abbas, Haniyeh Meet, Fail to Agree. Immediately after announcing the decree, Abbas left for Gaza and held talks with Haniyeh on Saturday night. "We failed to agree on the referendum question and we stressed to the president the dangers of this consultation for Palestinian unity," Haniyeh told reporters after the late night meeting. The talks would continue on Sunday night, he added. "I explained to President Abbas that such a referendum might rip the Palestinians. I also told him that a serious constructive dialogue would be much better than the referendum," said Haniyeh. He added that "this constructive national dialogue is the only alternative, and the document of national accord would be the base for our dialogue that would end up with establishing a national coalition government." "But we will continue talks with him (Abbas)," he said. Before their meeting, Haniyeh announced he would express his rejection of the referendum. "During this meeting with Abbas I will discuss the dangers of this referendum," he said, adding: "I say yes to dialogue, no to the referendum. Dialogue must be the lone path." The Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) will convene a special "emergency" session on Monday to discuss the presidential decree. Abbas Justifies His Decision. Justifying his decision to hold the referendum, Abbas told reporters in Ramallah that his main goal was to end the international sanctions imposed on the PNA since Hamas won the parliamentary elections January 25. "For months, our people have been facing a siege and the international community no longer cares about our cause," he said, adding: "This is a tragedy and a difficult problem. Our people are facing economic and financial sanctions and the question is when will this suffering end." Abbas said attempts to end the sanctions failed: "We tried to lift the siege, but to no avail," he said. "The international community wouldn't allow us to bring in money and they told us that they don't care any more," he added. "I am responsible for all of our people, every one of them," said Abbas, adding: "So I am responsible to say that we must go forward to set aside this pain and suffering we are living through." "We had 10 days of dialogue without any agreement and that forced us to think about the alternative, which is a referendum," he said. Referendum Could Be Canceled. However Abbas did not rule out canceling the referendum. As soon as we agree on the accord there will be no need for a referendum, Abbas told reporters. He said the referendum would be canceled -- even as late as one day before the vote -- if the Hamas and Fatah movements agreed on a unified political program based on the prisoners' document. "I am convinced that at the time we agree to this document, the siege against us must end," Abbas said, adding, "No one will be able to defend the principles behind this siege afterward." The Israeli military escalation against the Palestinian people and the internal political polarization compelled Abbas to stay at home. Abbas has cancelled a plan to visit Indonesia this month because of the situation at home, an Indonesian government spokesman said on Friday. "We just received some communication from the Palestinian embassy that President Mahmoud Abbas has cancelled the June 23 trip because of domestic situation," said Indonesian foreign affairs spokesman Desra Percaya, adding no new date has been decided. The Islamic Resistance Movement described the referendum called by Abbas as a "coup" attempt to undermine the Hamas-led government and said that its detainees in the jails of the IOF had declared in a statement on Saturday that the "document of national accord" aimed at being a basis for a national dialogue, and announced withdrawing their signing thereto, Hamas MP and spokesman, Salman Abu Zuhri, told Qatar-based Al-Jazeera satellite TV station. Speaking on state television and rejecting Abbas's referendum as a "declaration of a coup against the government," Mushir al-Masri, another Hamas legislator and spokesman, urged Palestinians to boycott the vote. Hamas government was sworn in on March 29, 2006 following the landslide victory of Hamas in the January 25 legislative elections. On May 25, Abbas gave Hamas an ultimatum to back statehood proposal that implicitly recognizes Israel or face a referendum. His deadline of 10 days was later extended. "Whoever announced the referendum should shoulder the responsibility for the dangerous consequences that may result," al-Masri said. Hours before the Abbas issued his decree, Hamas formally ended a 16-month truce by firing more than 25 rockets and mortar bombs at IOF targets in response to the killing of a seven-member Palestinian family on a Gaza beach on Friday. The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) said Saturday there is no reason for a referendum as long as the national dialogue is going on. Days ago three other minor anti-Israeli occupation groups joined Hamas and the Islamic Jihad in rejecting the referendum. Haniyeh Sends Letter to Abbas. A day earlier, on Friday, premier Haniyeh in a letter to President Abbas said that the referendum could provoke a historic division that will take decades to overcome. In his a last-minute appeal Haniyeh asked Abbas Abbas on Friday to abandon the referendum, warning "that the referendum may cause a historical crack that the Palestinian issue will suffer from for decades'' because it "contains many risks against the unity of the Palestinian people." "Brother president, I appeal to you in the name of Islam ... to endorse dialogue and not a referendum," Haniyeh wrote in his four-page letter. "We must confront the imminent danger and unite in the face of the unjust siege," he wrote, adding that the referendum had "no legal and constitutional basis." Palestinian chief negotiator, Saeb Erekat, brushed aside Haniyeh's appeal. "This is illogical," Erekat said. "Once there is a dispute, decision makers ask the people about their opinion. We hope that Mr. Haniyeh would not let us go to the referendum and accept the prisoners' initiative." The Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) met in the West Bank town of Ramallah on Tuesday and authorized Abbas to set a date for the referendum. Echoing Erekat's view, Hanan Ashrawi, a legislator from the Third Way party, said: "When the political leadership fails to reach a consensus, the president is certainly within his powers to go to the people. This is one way of rescuing the public from degenerating into a violent dialogue." However, Ali al-Jarbawi, a professor at the West Bank's Birzeit university, was less sure.

"The political consequences of the referendum are unknown until we know  whether it's going to cover the document as a whole or only certain points," he said. "We don't know what the result will entail for both sides. Is Abbas going to resign if the people vote against the document, or will Hamas step down if it is approved?" he wondered. "Unless the result is binding, both sides can wriggle out of it if the result doesn't suit them," al-Jarbawi warned.

 

Haniya Says Government Ready to Talk with Quartet


GAZA, (IPC + Agencies) [Official PA website]-  The Prime Minister-designate Ismail Haniya said on Monday that his coming government awaits the international community, especially the Quartet Committee, to choose justice and integrity in order to realize peace in the region, adding that it should stop threatening to punish the Palestinian people for their democratic choice. In his speech before the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), Haniya highly valued the position of Russia, which chose the path of dialogue rather than threats. "Our government will be ready for a dialogue with the international Quartet Committee and explore every way to end the state of conflict and promote peace in the region," Haniya said. On its part, the United States refused Hamas proposition to talk with it and the Quartet, as State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said, "I think what the Hamas government needs to do is meet the conditions laid out by the international community. The Quartet was very clear in what those conditions are. The onus is now on Hamas." Furthermore, a senior Israeli official said that Israel will impose unilateral steps on the Palestinians if the Hamas-led government did not change its platform. Raanan Geissin, the spokesman for the Israeli Prime Minister's office, told AFP, "If we saw that the platform of Hamas will be the government's long-term platform, then we will decide our own fates." "We will have to move alone as we did in the past," he added, referring to the unilateral Israeli withdrawal from Gaza Strip and northern West Bank last September.

Israel has described the speech of Haniya before the PLC as "talk in vain", as Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev said that Hamas "continues to refuse the conditions set out by the international community," in reference to the international community's demands for Hamas to renounce violence, recognize Israel and accept the agreements signed between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. "Instead of declaring his position towards these conditions, Haniya speaks in vain, and as long as Hamas did not accept these conditions, then it will not be a legitimate partner in dialogue," Regev added. In the meantime, the former Russian Prime Minister Yevgeny Primakov harshly criticized the US policy in the Middle East, and held it fully responsible for the prevalence of terrorism. "The positions of the Israeli government are an obstacle to peace," Primakov said, criticizing the Western attitude towards Hamas movement, and pointing out that two Israeli premieres were terrorists before they rose to office. The Russian official added, during a speech at a seminar entitled "Russia and the Islamic world: a strategic vision", that the negative statements made by the Israeli acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert regarding the Road Map and his stances that are detached from that of this international plan, risk the entire peace process. Primakov expressed amazement of the declared positions towards Hamas. "It is only natural that the movement would announce it will renounce violence and become more involved in the peace process, and what is certain is that Hamas will make important steps, in case no one put obstacles in its way," he maintained. He further noted that he is convinced that Hamas' rise to power in Palestine will not be catastrophic or a justification for these who seek to inflate matters, adding that the change into a political party and involvement in negotiations is very possible for Hamas. He reminded also that both Isaac Shamir and Menachem Begen were both terrorists who led terrorist attacks against the British forces and Palestinian residents, before becoming involved in politics and rising to office as Prime Ministers of Israel.

In another development, the European Union Commissioner for External Relations, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, said on Monday that the Union will not turn its back to the Palestinian people. Waldner added that the new Palestinian leadership should "seek to reach peace in peaceful methods." The Commissioner, who was commenting on Haniya's call to the world not to punish the Palestinian people for its democratic choice of Hamas, stated in a statement at the Arab Summit in Sudan on Tuesday that the EU will not disregard the Palestinian people, whose majority are living in dire poverty. "The European Union respects democratic choices [of the Palestinian people], but it cannot work except with those who seek peace through peaceful means.  those who will form the new Palestinian Authority have the responsibility of  choosing new options that are in the interest of their peoples," Waldner declared.


 

President Abbas Delivers a Letter to PM-designate Ismail Haniya


GAZA,  (IPC+WAFA) -[Official PA website]. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas delivered Saturday a letter to PM-designate Ismail Haniya about the appointments of the motion of confidence as well as the swearing-in session. Rafiq Al-Husseini, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' chief of staff handed Ismail Haniya Abbas's letter in the presidential headquarters in Gaza City. After receiving the letter, Haniya told reporters that they received a letter today and they are going to review and study it and according to the basic law and its provisions, the government will turn to the PLC for the motion of confidence on Monday. Then on Thursday the swearing-in procession will be held before president Abbas either in Gaza or in Ramallah. He said that the government will assume its responsibilities after that in order to run the Palestinian administration. Earlier, the Executive Committee refused Hamas' platform led by PM-designate Ismail Haniya and called on the movement to reshuffle its program and to recognize the PLO as the only representative for the Palestinian people. Meanwhile, President Abbas rebuffed any possibility of an institutional crisis in the light of the Executive Committee's decision that refused Hamas' platform. Here is the full text of Abbas's letter to PM-designate Haniya: Upon reviewing your response to my letter of assigning you forming the new government, I have concluded that your response, along with your proposed government program, unfortunately does not take account of the points raised  in the letter of designation. I have stressed to you that while we are proud of our people's success in carrying out the elections, and while we insist that the world respects the results and we reject any attempt to punish our people for exercising their democratic choice, these elections do not mean a break from or a reversal of the basic tenets and the legal and political responsibilities and commitments of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), or the program of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) which is its source of legitimacy and the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people in the homeland and the diaspora. I have made sure, whether in the letter of designation or in our meetings, to highlight the basic prerequisites for the success of the government in defending the higher political interests of the Palestinian people. I have emphasized the government's duty to safeguard the political, legal and diplomatic achievements and gains of the Palestinian cause; to further the standing of our cause and the rights of our people in the body of international legitimacy; I emphasized the need to ensure the compatibility of our positions with those of our Arab nation as expressed in the decisions of the Arab summits. I have also reiterated-based on my vision and my reading of the regional and international reality-the need to avoid any positions that may isolate our people; put our national struggle in opposition to international legitimacy. I have also reiterated the need to avoid giving the Israeli government an excuse to disavow its agreements, to continue with its measures and siege against our Palestinian people, or proceed with its plans to grab our land and deny our inalienable national rights through imposing solutions and unilaterally drawing borders through the so-called state with provisional borders. I have further underscored the necessity to understand the uniqueness of our complex situation, and to give priority to ensuring the means to support the steadfastness of our people on our land through providing for its needs rather than burdening it. We have no choice but to stay fast on our land until Israel ends its occupation, we establish our independent Palestinian station the June 4th 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, and reach a just and agreed solution to the refugee issue based on the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 194.

I have given the above extensive thought. While I regret that you have not adopted what was included in the letter of designation-a stance that prevented the formation of a national unity government-I have decided not to use the powers vested in me according to the basic law. Instead, out of respect for the spirit of democratic process, and to enable you to take the full opportunity to assume responsibility, I will give you the chance to present your government to the Legislative Council for confidence. Here, and once your government assumes its responsibilities in accordance with the basic law after it is granted confidence, I ask you again to adopt the letter of designation and make the necessary corrections to your program. You can be sure that, out of my sense of national responsibility, I will give all the possible support for your work. In addition, I will closely monitor the government's performance and will continue to exercise my duties pursuant to the mandate granted to me by the people, and in accordance to the authorities vested in me by the basic law. I will exercise my mandate and authority where and when needed to protect the higher interests of the Palestinian people.
 

PLO Rejects Hamas Program, Palestinian Stage Set for Crisis
Abed Rabbo: 150 Nations Recognize PLO, Hamas Government Doesn't


Palestine Media Center -The 18-member Executive Committee (EC) of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) rejected on Wednesday Hamas' political platform to form the new Palestinian cabinet, a move that was immediately rejected by the Islamic Resistance Movement as "unacceptable and illegal," thus setting the stage for a Palestinian political and constitutional crisis. PLO chief negotiator and Fatah legislator, Saeb Erakat, said President Mahmoud Abbas planned to send Prime Minister-designate Ismael Haniyeh a letter on Thursday expressing the PLO's reservations but authorizing the Hamas leader to present his Cabinet to the Palestinian Legislature Council (PLC) this weekend. "He (Abbas) will tell them that he will not obstruct their ability to go to the council with the Cabinet," Erakat said. In his first response to the PLO's rejection, Haniyeh called on the PLC to