Hamas Movement has vehemently attacked the Palestinian Authority, saying that it “did not have the will to confront the Israeli occupation.”
In remarks on Monday, Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said: “The authority does not only lack the ability to face the occupation, but does not have the will to do so.”
He added that the Palestinian leadership has failed to meet its pledges to confront the occupation, showing instead complete flexibility in its dealing with Tel Aviv. He also accused the PA of hardening its stance towards the national Palestinian components.
The Hamas attack on the Authority came to confirm the end of the honeymoon between the two parties, since the Authority announced the resumption of contacts with Israel following US President Joe Biden’s victory in the elections.
In fact, Biden’s victory turned the situation upside down in Ramallah. The PA immediately announced the restoration of contacts with Israel, which were frozen for six months, and reinstated its ambassadors in Arab countries which had normalized their relations with Tel Aviv.
The Palestinian Authority went to declare its readiness to negotiate with Israel, a step that has aroused great concern and anger among Hamas, which considered it a coup against a previous agreement to unite efforts against Israel and end division through elections.
Subsequently, Fatah and Hamas began exchanging accusations about the failure of reconciliation efforts, which reinforced reports that a return to relations with Israel and the United States would put an end to any agreement between the two sides.
Fatah officials said that Hamas had foiled the recent Cairo talks because of its position on the general elections. In turn, officials in Hamas stressed that the Authority’s return to contact with Israel was a blow to reconciliation efforts.
