Fatah-Hamas tensions escalate

Dubai: The Gulf tour of Hamas officials seeking support for Palestinians under the Hamas-led government coincided yesterday with a new turning point which some Palestinian analysts feared would only lead to increased tension.

However, Hamas officials played down the impact of the rejection of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) yesterday to Hamas's choice of Cabinet.

"The list of the cabinet and the political programme were submitted to the Palestinian Authority's President, Mahmoud Abbas. The PA's statute doesn't oblige Hamas to submit the programme to the committee," said Mousa Abu Marzouk, deputy head of Hamas's political bureau.

"Brother Abu Mazen [Mahmoud Abbas] is expected to respond ... We are not concerned with other statements," added the exiled Hamas leader in an interview with Gulf News during the delegation's "short" visit to Abu Dhabi.

While the PLO considers itself the sole representative of Palestinians, Abu Marzouk said: "We don't reject entering the PLO, but we can't say it is the sole legitimate representative and we're not part of it."

In earlier talks held in Cairo, the two Palestinian sides agreed on steps to reform and activate the role of the PLO and Abu Marzouk said there was "consensus on" that.

Incoming Palestinian Prime Minister Esmail Haniyah called yesterday for a special session of parliament on Saturday to decide his new cabinet. With 74 seats, the Hamas-led cabinet is expected to easily win the confidence of the 132-member parliament.

Meanwhile, the delegation was expected to arrive into Kuwait last night as part of its tour.

"The main goal of our tour, is to get support for Palestinians, and stand up for them, their democratic choice and the continuation in supporting the Palestinian Authority," said Abu Marzouk.

The tour also aims to "give Palestinians a political supportive stance in the face of US and European pressure."

Western countries have threatened to cut aid to the PA, when Hamas takes office. It is blacklisted by Israel and the United States for being behind bloody attacks against Israelis.

Abu Marzouk said: "The stances of all the Arab countries we have been to were excellent. They promised to continue supporting the steadfastness of the Palestinians.

"We didn't talk about a fixed amount of money," said Abu Marzouk to a question on the amount of Arab financial promises.

Meanwhile, Palestinian analysts spoke privately of great pressures facing Hamas from the international community.

"The problem is with what lies after. The country is definitely moving towards a war" said an observer.

Others voiced similar fears.

"The gap in Palestinian society is widening, with tension between Fatah and Hamas," said journalist Khalil Assali.