Hamas warns ahead of Abu Mazen’s speech at UN: “We will not allow Israel to strengthen the Palestinian Authority at our expense
Hamas is making threats against the leadership of the Palestinian Authority and warning its chairman, Abu Mazen, on what not to say when he addresses the U.N General Assembly.
Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas addresses the United Nations General Assembly on Sept. 26, 2019. Credit: UN Photo/Cia Pak
Fatah official: The reality on the Palestinian street is far from the plans being made in Israel.
Israel is working to ensure the continued rule of the Palestinian Authority within the areas under its control. It is doing so with a series of civil and economic measures. However, as this effort continues, trouble is brewing in Ramallah, the P.A.’s center. Hamas is agitating the population and increasing its media attacks on Abu Mazen, the chairman of the P.A. and Fatah.
A senior Fatah source tells the Israel News Agency, “Hamas’ blatant attack on Abu Mazen is a natural response to Israeli statements about the need to strengthen his rule and disarm Hamas.”
In recent days, Hamas has intensified the “electronic war” – a serious incitement against Abu Mazen and Fatah that takes place on social networks and media sites affiliated with Hamas. In recent posts on social media, Hamas accused Abu Mazen of helping Israel recapture the six prisoners who escaped from Gilboa prison a few weeks ago. Dozens of its Twitter and Facebook pages repeatedly spread the false news that Abu Mazen died, or was rushed by helicopter to a hospital in Jordan.
Sources in Ramallah say that this is of great concern to the Palestinian leadership. Yesterday Hussein al-Sheikh, a senior Fatah figure and minister of civil affairs, made an unusual statement on his Twitter account, writing, “Hamas’ behavior is flawed and dark and an expression of the yellow media’s bankruptcy.” Al-Sheikh accused Hamas of sending Palestinians into a civil war (Fatana in Arabic).
Fatah sources say Hamas is stepping up and signaling that it intends to position itself as an alternative to Abu Mazen, undermining his rule by embedding its people within the PLO
A senior Hamas official said, “Hamas’ goal, especially since Abu Mazen postponed the elections last May, is to deny him legitimacy and this worries the Palestinian leadership, mainly because the attack on Abu Mazen came on the eve of his forthcoming speech at the UN.”
In a series of interviews, Fatah spokesmen say that “Hamas is playing into the hands of Israel because its remarks against Abu Mazen are in line with the statements of Prime Minister Bennett.
A Fatah source tells TPS that it is precisely the statements by the US administration, and especially those made by the Israeli government, regarding the need to strengthen Abu Mazen and deny Hamas more sources of power and funding, that are now provoking the organization. They have signaled to Israel and Abu Mazen that it will not allow the current situation to change.
A source in the organization, who is affiliated with Muhammad Dahlan, Abu Mazen’s rival, referred to the situation in the PA, saying “It is clear that Fatah finds itself defending itself against Hamas under the failed leadership of Abu Mazen, but it is even clearer that the declared Israeli policy is incompatible with the reality on the ground.”
“Only elections can decide between Fatah and Hamas, but the result is known both in Israel and in Egypt and certainly in the Palestinian Authority,” he said, appreciating that Hamas is expected to achieve successful results in any upcoming election campaign. “Hamas is signaling to Israel and Abu Mazen that it will not be left behind in the face of Israeli intentions to strengthen the PA’s rule.”
