In an interview with the Washington Post Salam Fayyad claimed that Abbas and Hamas are working in unison to prevent elections.
By Barak Ravid | Jun.23, 2012
Tension between the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas
and Prime Minister Salam Fayyad is expected to reach new heights
following an interview Fayyad gave Washington Post, and that was
published over the weekend.
In the interview – which bore the marks of a political campaign launch,
Fayyad claimed that Abbas and Hamas are working in unison to prevent
elections, and declares for the first time that he does not rule out
running as a presidential candidate.
Over the past year, relations between Abbas and Fayyad have reached a
new low. Two months ago, Fayyad refused to lead a Palestinian delegation
charged with delivering a letter from Abbas to Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu. Fayyad thought the move was senseless and useless,
and informed Abbas he was not willing to take part in it.
Since them, Abbas has been operating in several channels to try and
oust Fayyad from his post – despite the heavy international fallout such
a step could bring to the Palestinian Authority. In Washington and
European capitals – the biggest donors to the Palestinian Authority –
Fayyad is considered a professional, moderate and honest figure.
As talks with Hamas over a unity government continue, Fayyad is
expected to leave his post, leaving Abbas to act both as president and
prime minister. In addition, during the talks with Hamas Abbas agreed to
back down from his demand that a unity government will only be
established once an election date is set. Both Abbas and Hamas are not
interested in elections, fearing they would lose substantial political
power.
In the interview, Fayyad expressed unprecedented criticism of Abbas.
"If you ask me, I am not convinced that there is seriousness about
elections," Fayyad told Lally Weymouth - senior associate editor of the
Washington Post.
Weymouth asked Fayyad if he is serious that Hamas is not serious about
holding elections, Fayyad answered that "on the part of Hamas for sure. I
will just leave it there." He added that as Abbas was elected in
January 2005 to a four-year term, and Hamas in January also for a
four-year term, both terms should have ended a long time ago.
Fayyad continued his attack on Abbas and Hamas, and hinted that the
Palestinians should launch a popular protest to demand elections. "We
want people to be given the opportunity to exercise their full right to
choose their leadership," he said. "And it’s overdue. That’s what really
matters to me."
"I think people may have a thing or two to say" (if Abbas and Hamas
prevent elections – B.R), he added. "I think people would beg to differ.
People here yearn for the possibility to choose their leadership. We
were among the first in the Arab world to have open, fair and inclusive
elections. And I believe that our people should have that opportunity
again, and I expect them to demand it."
Fayyad also made clear that if he is ousted from his post as prime
minister he has no intention of leaving Palestinian politics. "I am not
going to go away," he said. "This is a dream for me. I don’t have to be
in government to pursue it and support it." Asked by Weymouth is he
intends to run in the elections, Fayyad said that he does not rule out
the possibility: "If I rate my prospects as reasonable, I will try my
hand. I think it is doable."
