Hamas official Ismail Radwan (Photo: Al-Ahram)
Ismail Radwan, a Hamas official, said on Sunday that the Palestinian Unity government "must be dissolved" and that a new national government must be formed.
"We call to form a National Unity government that should fulfil its duties towards the Palestinian people as an alternative to this government," Radwan said in a statement to Arab 21 news website.
Radwan explained that "according to the Cairo Agreement, the legal period for this government is six months, which is near its end."
The Palestinian Unity government was appointed on 2 June after talks in Cairo between Hamas and the Fatah movement, as well as all Palestinian factions. The agreement was to last for six months, with a new government to be formed or elections to be held, Radwan pointed out.
The government should be dissolved, Radwan said, as it has failed to play a role for the Gaza Strip – which Hamas has controlled after winning elections in 2007 – as well as ending Israel's blockade on the coastal enclave and moving forward with reconstruction after Israel's 50-day assault on Gaza in July-August left much of the strip devastated and over 2,000 Palestinians dead.
Radwan further pointed out that the government hasn't earned the trust or accreditation of the Palestinian Legislative Council.
"If the Fatah movement refuses to dissolve the government, then Hamas has many choices to solve the situation," Radwan said, referring to choices that he said are currently being studied with all national forces, as "Palestinian compatibility is a must to get out of this crisis."
Tensions flared between Fatah and Hamas last week after a series of explosions targeted Fatah leader's homes in Gaza, as Fatah was preparing to hold the 10th anniversary memorial for late president Yasser Arafat.
The memorial was cancelled due to the unrest, with Fatah accusing Hamas of being behind the explosions.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said that Hamas was responsible for the explosions, according to Reuters.
Short link: