Ismail Haniyeh
Ismail HaniyehReuters

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh is praising the Arab residents of Judea and Samaria who took part in demonstrations against the Palestinian Authority (PA) in Ramallah last week.

In a speech marking the holiday of Eid al-Fitr, Haniyeh stressed the importance of continuing demonstrations in PA-assigned areas of Judea and Samaria, not only in order to end what he called the "injustice" against the Gaza Strip, the siege and the economic punitive measures taken by the PA against Gazans, but also as a means of regulating internal Palestinian Arab relations.

Haniyeh claimed that the demonstrations also sent messages against the Oslo Accords and the continued security cooperation with Israel.

He called to convene the Palestinian National Council on the basis of reconciliation agreements between Fatah and Hamas, to hold general elections for the PLO institutions and the Palestinian Authority, and to form a national unity government.

Haniyeh also said that Palestinian Arab prisoners in Israeli prisons are at the top of the list of priorities of the Palestinian organizations, especially Hamas’ Al-Qassam Brigades.

Hamas and PA chairman Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah faction have been at odds since a 2007 coup in which Hamas violently took control of Gaza. All attempts at reconciliation have failed to bear fruit.

The sides signed a reconciliation agreement in October, as part of which Hamas was to transfer power in Gaza by December 1. That deadline was initially put back by 10 days and then appeared to have been cancelled altogether after it reportedly hit “obstacles”.

Hamas recently denounced the PA cabinet led by Rami Hamdallah over its policy of "deceiving, creating tension and deliberately neglecting the needs of the residents of the Gaza Strip."

Earlier this week, the PA government stated in response to the demonstrations in Ramallah that Hamas was responsible for the situation in Gaza.