PALESTINIAN Prime Minister Ismail Haniya on Sunday called on President Mahmud Abbas to adopt a quick decision to withdraw all members of the security apparatuses under his command and remove all military roadblocks that were set up on the Gaza Strip roads.
In a brief statement delivered at the beginning of an extraordinary session of his cabinet that was held to address the current deterioration in the situation in Gaza, Haniya said: ‘There is no need for further militarisation.
‘The president’s security apparatuses have a specific task.
‘The Interior Ministry is directly responsible for imposing order and for domestic security.’
He went on to say: ‘The incidents that entailed casualties, injuries, desecration of mosques and abduction of children are regrettable and unacceptable.’
The prime minister further said: ‘Even ministers have been subject to these criminal acts. The gravest incident was the targeting of the house of Foreign Minister Mahmud al-Zahhar, which constitutes an attack on the Palestinian government.’
Haniya affirmed that the government has exerted its utmost efforts and has never renounced its responsibility, adding: ‘Today, the salaries of civil and military employees are being paid with the hope that this step will alleviate the dire economic situation that the Palestinian people are facing as a result of the unjust siege.’
He said the cabinet’s meeting will be dedicated to discussing all aspects of the recent incidents and to adopting measures to contain the crisis and prevent further deterioration in the Palestinian arena.
Haniya called on the Palestinian people to protect the national project and national unity by uniting, letting dialogue take over, removing arms from the streets and avoiding all the circumstances of further tension and infighting.
An Egyptian security delegation, now in the Palestinian territories, is contacting all Palestinian parties and aiming to restore calm to the Palestinian streets by halting the fighting between Hamas and Fatah.
Intense dialogue is underway between the Egyptian political echelon and all Palestinian parties, especially the president, the prime minister and leaders of factions, endeavouring to push towards a ceasefire and a resumption of the national dialogue.
Despite the opposition of the delegation to the tension in the Palestinian arena, they assured that they will continue with their struggle to dismantle the crisis, concluding that this position ‘reflects the Egyptian concern over the loss of Palestinian blood.’
The Palestinian government suspended its weekly meeting in order to convene with the Egyptian delegation.
The government, and both the Hamas and Fatah movements, have welcomed the call of Saudi King Abdallah Bin-Abd-al-Aziz to Palestinian parties to hold a dialogue in Mecca.
Fatah spokesman Ahmad Abd-al-Rahman commented: ‘We accept and welcome the generous invitation of the custodian of the two holy mosques and we see it as an expression of the Saudi king’s concern over the interests of our people and their cause.’
He added: ‘The Fatah Movement is grateful and thankful for this noble Saudi effort, which is interested in the well-being and unity of the Palestinian people.’
For his part, Ahmad Yusuf, political adviser for the Hamas prime minister, said: ‘This is an important and true expression of Arab and Islamic sentiments.’
Yusuf voiced hope that the Palestinian street will positively respond to this Saudi call by ending the domestic strife and returning to dialogue to form the national unity government.’
Meanwhile, the Palestinian Foreign Ministry welcomed the invitation. The ministry’s spokesman Tahir al-Nunu said: ‘We welcome any Arab role in this regard, and we always appreciate the Saudi role which always supports the Palestinian people and constantly endeavours to rid the Palestinians of sedition.’
Meanwhile, Palestinian doctors in Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip, said that at least one Palestinian was killed in renewed clashes in the city.
Executive Force member Mundhir Sharab was killed in armed clashes between Fatah fighters and members of the Executive Force in the city.
In a related development, Fatah fighters abducted Ashraf Farwanah, a commander of Al-Qassam Brigades, and two of his escorts in the city of Khan Yunis.
On Sunday evening the Palestinian government spokesman Ghazi Hamad said that the Egyptian security delegation suggested that Fatah and Hamas give lists of the names of persons involved in the recent unfortunate events.
Hamad noted that during a meeting with the prime minister and the interior minister, the Egyptian delegation conveyed a message from the chief of Egyptian Intelligence Umar Sulayman, and proposed a number of ideas, among which were the withdrawal of all fighters, the release of all abductees, and allowing the police to be the only party authorised to follow up and investigate the incidents.
In a news conference that followed, Hamad said that prime minster Ismail Haniya stressed the fact that the Interior Ministry is the main party responsible for domestic security, noting that the presence of presidential forces in the street does not help in observing the law.
The prime minister highlighted several points, most notable is the government’s interest in stopping the deterioration and tension, and providing the proper atmosphere for ending the current crisis.
Haniya pointed out that the government is responsible for the domestic security in the Palestinian street, particularly through the interior ministry.
According to Hamad, Haniya welcomed and appreciated the underway Egyptian efforts noting that the deployment of the presidential forces in the street is an obstacle to upholding the law.
Haniya rejected the presence of the military in the Palestinian street, Hamad added.
Haniya demanded turning all persons accused of involvement in the recent incidents over to the public prosecutor, withdrawing all fighters from the streets except those whose presence is needed, immediately forming the national security council, and neutralising Palestinian security bodies.
Among the issues that the prime minister tackled is stopping media incitement that increases tension in the Palestinian street and absolutely rejecting transferring the conflict to the West Bank.
Both the Fatah movement and the Palestinian government have accepted the Egyptian initiative and said they are ready to implement it immediately.
Government spokesman Ghazi Hamad announced in a press conference in Gaza that the Egyptian delegation had delivered a significant message from Umar Sulayman aiming to contain the current crisis.
The initiative comprises of five points: withdrawal of gunmen from the streets; elimination of every form of tension; Releasing all the abductees; removal of all street checkpoints; only the Palestinian police to be authorised to investigate security cases after the two major parties submit lists of names about those involved in the last events.
Hamad explained that the Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniya was informed of the initiative and had accepted it. He also updated the Egyptian delegation on the current development in the Palestinian arena.
Hamad affirmed that the government endeavours to pave the way for halting tension through adopting practical measures. He said that several parties should push in that direction in order to uproot the crisis, instead of dealing with superficial issues only.
The prime minister called for the withdrawal of all gunmen from the streets except for those who are needed; referring to the fact that the national and the presidential security forces are an obstacle to security if they are not withdrawn from the streets.
Haniya said that the Ministry of Interior is the only party which has the authority to impose law and security in order to avoid militarisation of the Palestinian streets.
He also called for the handing over all those who are accused of involvement in the latest violent events to the general prosecution.
The source of the conflict is the refusal of the US and UK governments to recognise the right of the Palestinian people to elect the party of its choice to government, and also the imposition of a financial and economic blockade on Palestine by the US and the UK, and its encouragement to Fatah to take measures against the elected government.
