Hamas on Thursday blasted the speech of Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas at the UN General Assembly, saying it was clear proof of the failure of his policy to reach a just solution for the Palestinian people.
The terrorist group, which rules Gaza, said in a statement that Abbas’ insistence on continuing the path of negotiations was a waste of time and an opportunity for the "enemy" to change the political reality through settlement and Judaization and thwart the realization of the right of return.
Hamas attacked Abbas for describing the armed forces in Gaza as "militia" and "terrorism", saying that these words are a stab in the back of the “martyrs”, the “resistance” and history of the Palestinian people.
The statement said that the threats of additional punitive measures against Gaza made by Abbas in his speech at the UN pose a danger to the Palestinian national fabric and to the future of internal Palestinian reconciliation.
Hamas called for a halt to the "failed" Oslo Accords and for an immediate end to the security coordination between the Palestinian Authority and Israel.
At the same time, Hamas relaunched a media campaign against Abbas and the Palestinian Authority, focusing on the claim that Abbas does not represent the Palestinian people and in fact has become a traitor.
In addition, children in Gaza on Thursday burned pictures of Abbas.
Hamas and Abbas’ Fatah faction have been at odds since 2007, when Hamas violently took over Gaza from Fatah in a bloody coup.
Fatah and Hamas signed a reconciliation deal last October, under which the PA was to have resumed full control of Gaza by December 1.
That deadline was initially put back by 10 days and had later reportedly hit “obstacles”.
The PA has demanded full authority in Gaza as a precondition for reconciliation with Hamas.