After a bare three months in the most pivotal position in the Palestinian Authority government, Interior Minister Hani Qawasmeh gave it up as a bad job on Monday. The former interior minister was chosen to unify and control the rival terrorist militias operating in the PA-controlled territories, but it didn’t work out that way.
Hamas spokesman Ghazi Hamad dismissed the resignation as a reaction to being shunted aside in security decisions. “He asked for more authority which was not granted,” said Hamad. “He was not informed about the deployment last week and that’s why he resigned,” he added.
Another government spokesman, Mustafa Barghouti, said PM Haniyeh had “accepted the resignation” and that the issue would be discussed in the cabinet meeting. Sources indicated that Mr. Haniyeh would take over control of the Interior Ministry until a new candidate is chosen.
The PA had approved a plan in April that would have unified the rival security forces under the interior minister’s authority, but Fatah strongman Mohammed Dahlan was instead named as commander of the forces.
Mr. al-Qawasmeh, who was chosen as a compromise candidate between the Fatah and Hamas factions, first quit the post three weeks ago. The resignation was rejected by the PA prime minister who convinced the interior minister, an academic, to remain. The choice of an interior minister had been the primary sticking point that held up agreement on the unity government for weeks.
Monday’s resignation came in the wake of violent clashes between the Hamas and Fatah terrorist factions, who agreed in February to rule the PA in harmony. The interior minister’s departure added more fuel to speculation that the PA government might collapse as a result of the deadly infighting.
A senior government spokesman tried to remain upbeat despite the grim atmosphere. “A new interior minister will be chosen soon in consultations and agreement” with Chairman [Mahmoud] Abbas, he told reporters.
Media reports said the latest bloodbath broke out in response to an order by Mr. Dahlan for security forces to deploy across Gaza in an effort to control the violence. The reason for the bloodshed: the security chief had not coordinated the move with Hamas.
Two bodyguards of Fatah spokesman Maher Meqdad were killed and at least a dozen wounded in Gaza City Monday morning, less than six hours after Egyptian officials brokered another truce between the two militias. Hamas terrorists accused the Fatah fighters of starting the clash by firing at homes of Hamas members. Both Fatah and Hamas charged each other with setting fires in Gaza City.
Three more people were shot during the funeral for PA journalist Soliman al-Ashi, who was killed in Sunday’s clashes.
Two Fatah terrorists were also killed in a shootout on Sunday with Hamas gunmen. Both were members of Fatah’s Al-Aksa Martyrs’ Brigades terror group. Two Hamas terrorists were killed a short while later, in retaliation for the deaths of the two Fatah fighters, as well as Mr. al-Ashi. At least 14 people were shot in the clashes, three of them seriously.
Terrorists from the two factions have been warring for control of the government for more than a year, killing hundreds of fighters and innocent bystanders and wounding even more.
Hamas spokesman Ghazi Hamad dismissed the resignation as a reaction to being shunted aside in security decisions. “He asked for more authority which was not granted,” said Hamad. “He was not informed about the deployment last week and that’s why he resigned,” he added.
Another government spokesman, Mustafa Barghouti, said PM Haniyeh had “accepted the resignation” and that the issue would be discussed in the cabinet meeting. Sources indicated that Mr. Haniyeh would take over control of the Interior Ministry until a new candidate is chosen.
The PA had approved a plan in April that would have unified the rival security forces under the interior minister’s authority, but Fatah strongman Mohammed Dahlan was instead named as commander of the forces.
Mr. al-Qawasmeh, who was chosen as a compromise candidate between the Fatah and Hamas factions, first quit the post three weeks ago. The resignation was rejected by the PA prime minister who convinced the interior minister, an academic, to remain. The choice of an interior minister had been the primary sticking point that held up agreement on the unity government for weeks.
Monday’s resignation came in the wake of violent clashes between the Hamas and Fatah terrorist factions, who agreed in February to rule the PA in harmony. The interior minister’s departure added more fuel to speculation that the PA government might collapse as a result of the deadly infighting.
A senior government spokesman tried to remain upbeat despite the grim atmosphere. “A new interior minister will be chosen soon in consultations and agreement” with Chairman [Mahmoud] Abbas, he told reporters.
Media reports said the latest bloodbath broke out in response to an order by Mr. Dahlan for security forces to deploy across Gaza in an effort to control the violence. The reason for the bloodshed: the security chief had not coordinated the move with Hamas.
Two bodyguards of Fatah spokesman Maher Meqdad were killed and at least a dozen wounded in Gaza City Monday morning, less than six hours after Egyptian officials brokered another truce between the two militias. Hamas terrorists accused the Fatah fighters of starting the clash by firing at homes of Hamas members. Both Fatah and Hamas charged each other with setting fires in Gaza City.
Three more people were shot during the funeral for PA journalist Soliman al-Ashi, who was killed in Sunday’s clashes.
Two Fatah terrorists were also killed in a shootout on Sunday with Hamas gunmen. Both were members of Fatah’s Al-Aksa Martyrs’ Brigades terror group. Two Hamas terrorists were killed a short while later, in retaliation for the deaths of the two Fatah fighters, as well as Mr. al-Ashi. At least 14 people were shot in the clashes, three of them seriously.
Terrorists from the two factions have been warring for control of the government for more than a year, killing hundreds of fighters and innocent bystanders and wounding even more.