Hamas slams PLO decision to stop forming national unity government

The ruling Hamas movement slammed on Saturday a decision by President Mahmoud Abbas and the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) to stop talks on forming a unity government.

"We are sorry for this unjust decision which was a shock for every Palestinian waiting the birth of national unity government," Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoom told Voice of Palestine radio.

On Thursday, President Abbas said the unity government talks have reached a "dead end." One day later, the PLO executive committee, headed by Abbas, convened in Gaza and announced the suspension of talks with Hamas on forming the new government.

The PLO said talks can be resumed only when Prime Minister Ismail Haneya of Hamas resigns.

Calling on Abbas to come back to the negotiation table, Hamas has heavily attacked the PLO. "It seems the PLO needs to be reformed, and Hamas has often demanded this," Barhoom said.

He added that the PLO's executive committee "convenes only to topple Hamas and the government it leads, and always approves Fatah's determination."

The PLO embodies all political factions except the Islamic movements of Hamas and the Islamic Jihad (Holy War).

To join the PLO, Hamas has called for reforming the organization that has, in the past, recognized Israel, while the Islamic Jihad said it will never join any body supports Oslo peace accords.

Following months of inter-Palestinian talks to replace the Hamas-led government with a wider coalition, the talks entered an impasse as November has ended without witnessing a deal between Hamas and Fatah.

Both parties have traded accusations for the failure of the talks.

Source: Xinhua