By Xinhua,
Ramallah : Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Tuesday called on his rival Hamas movement to accept forming a unity government that prepares for holding early elections in the Palestinian territories.
Abbas’ call was made in a speech he addressed in Ramallah earlier Tuesday to mark the fourth year anniversary for late leader Yasser Arafat who died in a French Hospital of a mysterious disease on Nov. 11, 2004.
“It is necessary to form a unity government that lift the blockade and prepares for presidential and legislative elections,” Abbas said.
He stressed that any government to be formed in the future has to be committed to what Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) is committed to. Abbas was referring to recognizing the peace agreements which were signed with Israel.
A comprehensive dialogue was due to be launched on Monday in Cairo to end a political dispute between Hamas and Abbas’ Fatah movement.
However, the dialogue was postponed until a further notice after Hamas movement decided not to join the dialogue before Abbas frees its activists and members imprisoned by Abbas security forces in the West Bank.
Abbas renewed his denial that the Palestinian National Authority is holding Hamas prisoners for political reasons, adding “what Hamas claims that there are political prisoners is not realistic.”
“In this anniversary of late leader Yasser Arafat,” Abbas said, “we are still following his steps towards freedom and independence and the establishment of the independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.”
Hamas movement’s spokesman Fawzi Barhoum slammed Abbas speech and said in a written statement that Abbas speech “is full of contradictions.”
Barhoum held Abbas responsible for the failure of the dialogue, saying that Abbas “has no good intentions towards launching a real national dialogue that serves the highest interest of the Palestinian people.”