Cairo, Egypt (Reuters) —
The Islamist group Hamas on Friday (15/3) criticized Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas for “unilaterally” appointing an ally and prominent business figure as prime minister with a mandate to help reform the Palestinian Authority (PA) and rebuild Gaza.
Mohammad Mustafa's appointment comes after increasing pressure to overhaul the governing body of the occupied Palestinian territories and improve governance in the occupied West Bank, where the body is based.
Hamas said the decision was taken without prior consultation, despite the fact they recently took part in a meeting in Moscow also attended by Abbas' Fatah movement to end divisions that have long undermined Palestinian political aspirations.
“We express our refusal to continue with an approach that has been and continues to be detrimental to our people and our national struggle,” Hamas said in a statement.
“Taking individual decisions and undertaking superficial and empty steps such as forming a new government without national consensus will only strengthen the policy of unilateralism and deepen divisions.”
At a time of war with Israel, Palestinians need unified leadership to prepare for free democratic elections involving all components of their society, he added.
In the West Bank, Fatah hit back at Hamas' criticism of Abbas, blaming Hamas for what has befallen Gaza since it unilaterally carried out its “October 7 adventure”.
“Has Hamas consulted with Palestinian leaders while they were negotiating with Israel and offered concessions, in an attempt to get guarantees of their leaders' personal safety in return?” said the Fatah statement.
Foreign claims
As president, Abbas remains the most powerful figure in the Palestinian Authority. But the appointment of a new government shows a willingness to meet international demands for a change in government.
Mustafa, who helped organize Gaza's reconstruction after previous conflicts, was tasked with leading relief and reconstruction of the territory, which has been devastated by more than five months of war. According to the appointment letter, he is also tasked with reforming the Palestinian Authority's institutions.
He replaces former Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh who, along with his government, resigned in February.
Arab and international efforts have so far failed to reconcile Hamas and Fatah, the backbone of the PA, since Hamas's takeover of Gaza in 2007, a move that reduced Abbas' authority in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
Palestine wants these two territories as the core of a future independent state.
Hamas says any attempt to exclude them from politics after the war is a “delusion.”
In a recent warning, a security official told a Hamas-linked news site that attempts by clans or community leaders to cooperate with Israel's plans to manage Gaza would be considered a “treason” and would be met with an “iron fist.” .”
But the group denied media reports that it had killed several local clan leaders in recent days for disrupting aid distribution. (ft)