Gaza – Mohammed Habib
The head of Hamas political bureau khaled mashaal and Hamas senior official Mahmoud al-Zahar
Gaza – Mohammed Habib
The formation of the Palestinian government depends on ending disagreement within Hamas movement over the Doha Declaration, which was signed by Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal and Palestinian
Authorities President Mahmoud Abbas in the Qatari capital, a Palestinian source told ‘Arabstoday’.
According to the agreement, Abbas will form a transitional technocrat unity government that would prepare for the general elections and supervise the reconstruction of Gaza, the source added.
The source revealed that Abbas and Meshaal will meet on February 23 in Cairo to discuss the formation of the government and to implement the reconciliation's articles, adding that the disagreement inside Hamas over Doha deal delays the formation of the interim government.
Earlier this month, Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal agreed in Qatar on leaving the temporary leadership of the new government to Abbas.
However, several Hamas leaders, headed by Mahmoud Al-Zahar, opposed the deal, calling it illegal and in breach of the basic Palestinian law.
Zahar said that the agreement was not final because Meshaal signed it without consulting with his colleagues. He added that Hamas leadership will meet "to treat this matter."
Zahar said that Hamas also rejected the Doha deal because it violated an earlier agreement brokered by Egypt between the two sides in May 2011.
The Egyptian-brokered agreement stipulated a transitional government of independent technocrats to prepare for elections.
Hamas and Fatah failed to agree on an independent premier, and the sudden deal that was brokered under Qatari auspices was seen as a compromise to form the government and start implementing the original agreement.
The differences inside Hamas on the Doha declaration mounted, as the official spokesperson confirmed that the movement is with the deal, while senior members like Zahar, who is a politburo member, said there is general rejection among Hamas to the deal.
For his part, Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum has denied the existence of fundamental divisions in Hamas movement over the Doha Declaration. Barhoum stressed in press statements on Monday that the Declaration is one package and must be implemented with all its details, both in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
He renewed the adherence of Hamas to the completion of reconciliation and overcome all the obstacles before it, considering what was reflected in the Doha Declaration as confirmation of the credibility of the movement and positions of its leadership.
He explained that any political agreement must be correlated with the Palestinian Basic Law, declaring that any interim government to be formed in the future will have temporary duty, that is to prepare for the general election and work to conduct it, in addition to working to lift the siege of Gaza, the reconstruction and communication with all regional and international sides to support the just cause of Palestine.