Abbas (Abu Mazen) made the statement before Fatah officials and the media in Ramallah after days of leaks that he intended to do so. Abbas announced, "I decided to call for early presidential and legislative elections."
Abbas insisted that his demand to repeat the elections is a democratic one. Saying that the people are the source of governmental power, the PA leader added, "Let the people have their say and decide. I will talk as quickly as possible with the central elections commission to launch the preparations for the ballot." He did not provide a date for the elections.
In addition to his role as PA president, Abbas is the leader of the Fatah organization in the Authority. Since elections in January, the Islamist Hamas terror organization has had control of the PA legislative body, currently headed by Ismail Haniyeh. Fatah, a controlling faction of the PLO, has continuously weakened since the death of Yasser Arafat. The tension between Fatah and Hamas over power and funding in the PA has spilled into violent street clashes, assassination attempts, political-military manipulations and premeditated murders.
Regarding the possibility that a move towards elections at this juncture will drive the PA into all-out civil war between Fatah and Hamas militias and their supporters, Abbas said, "Despite the suffering, the pain, the confrontations - whoever is responsible for them - we will not allow ourselves to sink into a civil war."
The PA chief went on to slam Hamas for ruining the gains made with Israel's unilateral withdrawal from Gaza. "We dreamed that the minute Israel would withdraw, the territory would flourish and there would be dozens of development projects, but this dream vanished," he said. "Why? Because we insisted on shooting Kassams and thus missed our dream to turn the settlements into centers for investment and growth."
Abbas laid the blame for the overall deteriorating security situation in the Palestinian Authority, as well as the ongoing economic crisis there, at the feet of the Hamas government. In that regard, he also criticized the kidnapping of IDF soldier Gilad Shalit because of its destructive consequences for the PA, including 500 deaths and thousands injured. Abbas called for an end to rocket attacks on Israelis, as well, "because it leads to the cessation of investments in the Gaza Strip."
One of the factors in the PA's economic deterioration, Abbas noted, is the Hamas's refusal to abide by international agreements, to recognize Israel and to condemn terrorist attacks. Internally, Abbas said that the Hamas's refusal to recognize the PLO as the "legitimate representative of the Palestinian people" has led to its political isolation.
Hamas Responds
"The Palestinian government rejects this call for early elections and considers it a coup against Palestinian legitimacy and the will of the Palestinian people," the Hamas government stated following Abbas's statement.
Hamas parliamentary chairman Dr. Khaled Al-Haya said Abbas had declared war not only on Hamas, but on Allah.
Fellow Hamas official, PA Foreign Minister Mahmoud Al-Zahar said Abbas had "declared a civil war," but agreed new elections should be held - for PA president. "If he has tired of the presidency and leadership [Abbas] can step aside and hold new presidential elections," Al-Zahar said.
Other PA ministers called for a government of national unity; however, negotiations to that end in recent weeks have not produced any results.
Abbas Defends Move
"This is a constitutional right," Abbas said, defending his dissolution of the government on PA-controlled TV. "I can do it whenever I want. The dismissal of the government is not a declaration of civil war like Al-Zahar said. They don't scare us."
In any event, PA representative Saeb Erekat told Reuters, "Technically, the elections cannot be held before mid-2007."
Street Battles Escalate
Immediately following Abbas's declaration, thousands of members of Fatah's various Tanzim and Al-Aksa Brigades terror groups marched though the streets of Gaza and Shechem (Nablus), firing their rifles in the air. In Rafiah, Khan Younis and elsewhere, armed Fatah and Hamas terrorists exchanged shots and opened fire on crowds of stone-throwers, as well. At least 20 people were wounded by gunfire.
Also on Saturday, a Fatah militia spokesman threatened to kill Hamas leaders and ministers in the event that Fatah's Gaza strongman Muhammad Dahlan, or any other senior Fatah leader, is attacked. The spokesman said that he had inside information regarding a Hamas plot to murder Fatah leaders. Hamas spokesmen had blamed Dahlan for an attempted assassination of PA Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh at the Gaza-Egypt crossing two days ago, saying they knew who was responsible and that those individuals would not sleep peacefully again.
On Friday, at least 31 Hamas members were wounded when Fatah men under Abbas's control opened fire at a Hamas rally in Ramallah.
US, UK Favor Fatah
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said she would be requesting tens of millions of dollars from Congress to further arm and train militias loyal to Abbas. British Prime Minister Tony Blair also called upon the international community to empower Abbas through funding him and arming his men.
In recent months, far more attacks have been attempted and carried out by Fatah's terror groups than Hamas.
Abbas insisted that his demand to repeat the elections is a democratic one. Saying that the people are the source of governmental power, the PA leader added, "Let the people have their say and decide. I will talk as quickly as possible with the central elections commission to launch the preparations for the ballot." He did not provide a date for the elections.
In addition to his role as PA president, Abbas is the leader of the Fatah organization in the Authority. Since elections in January, the Islamist Hamas terror organization has had control of the PA legislative body, currently headed by Ismail Haniyeh. Fatah, a controlling faction of the PLO, has continuously weakened since the death of Yasser Arafat. The tension between Fatah and Hamas over power and funding in the PA has spilled into violent street clashes, assassination attempts, political-military manipulations and premeditated murders.
Regarding the possibility that a move towards elections at this juncture will drive the PA into all-out civil war between Fatah and Hamas militias and their supporters, Abbas said, "Despite the suffering, the pain, the confrontations - whoever is responsible for them - we will not allow ourselves to sink into a civil war."
The PA chief went on to slam Hamas for ruining the gains made with Israel's unilateral withdrawal from Gaza. "We dreamed that the minute Israel would withdraw, the territory would flourish and there would be dozens of development projects, but this dream vanished," he said. "Why? Because we insisted on shooting Kassams and thus missed our dream to turn the settlements into centers for investment and growth."
Abbas laid the blame for the overall deteriorating security situation in the Palestinian Authority, as well as the ongoing economic crisis there, at the feet of the Hamas government. In that regard, he also criticized the kidnapping of IDF soldier Gilad Shalit because of its destructive consequences for the PA, including 500 deaths and thousands injured. Abbas called for an end to rocket attacks on Israelis, as well, "because it leads to the cessation of investments in the Gaza Strip."
One of the factors in the PA's economic deterioration, Abbas noted, is the Hamas's refusal to abide by international agreements, to recognize Israel and to condemn terrorist attacks. Internally, Abbas said that the Hamas's refusal to recognize the PLO as the "legitimate representative of the Palestinian people" has led to its political isolation.
Hamas Responds
"The Palestinian government rejects this call for early elections and considers it a coup against Palestinian legitimacy and the will of the Palestinian people," the Hamas government stated following Abbas's statement.
Hamas parliamentary chairman Dr. Khaled Al-Haya said Abbas had declared war not only on Hamas, but on Allah.
Fellow Hamas official, PA Foreign Minister Mahmoud Al-Zahar said Abbas had "declared a civil war," but agreed new elections should be held - for PA president. "If he has tired of the presidency and leadership [Abbas] can step aside and hold new presidential elections," Al-Zahar said.
Other PA ministers called for a government of national unity; however, negotiations to that end in recent weeks have not produced any results.
Abbas Defends Move
"This is a constitutional right," Abbas said, defending his dissolution of the government on PA-controlled TV. "I can do it whenever I want. The dismissal of the government is not a declaration of civil war like Al-Zahar said. They don't scare us."
In any event, PA representative Saeb Erekat told Reuters, "Technically, the elections cannot be held before mid-2007."
Street Battles Escalate
Immediately following Abbas's declaration, thousands of members of Fatah's various Tanzim and Al-Aksa Brigades terror groups marched though the streets of Gaza and Shechem (Nablus), firing their rifles in the air. In Rafiah, Khan Younis and elsewhere, armed Fatah and Hamas terrorists exchanged shots and opened fire on crowds of stone-throwers, as well. At least 20 people were wounded by gunfire.
Also on Saturday, a Fatah militia spokesman threatened to kill Hamas leaders and ministers in the event that Fatah's Gaza strongman Muhammad Dahlan, or any other senior Fatah leader, is attacked. The spokesman said that he had inside information regarding a Hamas plot to murder Fatah leaders. Hamas spokesmen had blamed Dahlan for an attempted assassination of PA Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh at the Gaza-Egypt crossing two days ago, saying they knew who was responsible and that those individuals would not sleep peacefully again.
On Friday, at least 31 Hamas members were wounded when Fatah men under Abbas's control opened fire at a Hamas rally in Ramallah.
US, UK Favor Fatah
Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said she would be requesting tens of millions of dollars from Congress to further arm and train militias loyal to Abbas. British Prime Minister Tony Blair also called upon the international community to empower Abbas through funding him and arming his men.
In recent months, far more attacks have been attempted and carried out by Fatah's terror groups than Hamas.