Forming a national coalition government to end the ongoing
political and financial crises is becoming an urgent issue yet to
be solved by the Hamas-led government and President Mahmoud
Abbas.
Many Palestinians believe that forming such a government would
be the rescue ring for the people who have been passing through a
financial and political crises since Hamas, which won the
legislative election in January, took office and formed a
government in late March.
"Since Hamas took office, until now, employees haven't been paid
their salaries regularly, the political process turned into
military conflicts, crossings were closed down and the situation is
getting worse and worse day after day," said Hani Habib, a
Palestinian analyst from Gaza.
He said that Israel had managed to a great extent to convince
the Palestinians that all these difficulties they are facing "are
due to the fact that Hamas is leading the government alone, rejects
all peace initiatives and signed accords and rejects condemnation
of violence and recognition of Israel's existence."
Since Hamas formed a government in late March, in which a vast
majority of cabinet ministers are from Hamas, Israel and donor
countries led by the United States have decided to cut off
financial aid they had used to pay the Palestinian National
Authority (PNA) since it was established in 1994.
The countries insisted that a new Palestinian government led by
Hamas recognize the state of Israel and honor all the signed
agreements reached between Israel and the Palestinians and stop and
condemn violence.
However, the Hamas-led government rejected the conditions,
saying the Palestinians would never kneel before these
conditions.
Hamas officials said the world should respect the choice of the
Palestinian people and political program Hamas presented in the
legislative election.
Habib said, "If the world refuses to deal with the government, I
believe that the only solution to get out of the crisis is to
modify the movement's political program and form a national
coalition government."
All factions and political powers, including Hamas and Fatah,
can join a coalition cabinet, he said.
On June 24, Prime Minister Ismail Haneya and Abbas agreed on the
Prisoners' Document of National Accordance adopted by Palestinian
prisoners in Israeli jails, which recognizes Israel and calls for a
Palestinian statehood alongside it.
It was also agreed between Haneya and Abbas, also chairman of
the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), that a national
coalition government should be formed after officially accepting
the document.
However, efforts failed in the wake of an attack carried out by
Hamas' armed wing and two minor group on an Israeli military base
on June 25, during which two Israeli soldiers were killed and
another kidnapped.
The groups insisted that Israel release Palestinian prisoners
from its jails in exchange for freeing 20-year-old Gilad
Shalit.
In response, Israel launched a major military action in the Gaza
Strip. The issue of forming a coalition was naturally
postponed.
"The soldier would be freed sooner or later, but the crisis must
find an outlet," said Ghassan Ahmed, a political science
teacher.
"We believe that getting out of the crisis can be only by
forming a national coalition government that adopts a political
platform that convinces the world to end its siege and boycott," he
said.
He said that recent days had shown contradictions in officials'
statements related to forming a coalition government, adding that
officials in the government as well as Abbas should unite their
efforts and form a coalition as soon as possible to end the people
's suffering.
Presidential spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeineh said on Saturday that
Abbas and Haneya held a meeting in Gaza, expecting that a coalition
government would be formed within 10 days.
But, Yasser Abed Rabbo, a senior PLO member, said that Hamas
still rejects the PLO's strategy, the Arab Peace Initiative and
agreements signed by the PLO and Israel.
Khalil Al-Hayya, head of Hamas' block in the Palestinian
Legislative Council, said that talks on forming a national
coalition government are just beginning.
"I can not confirm that it would be formed within the coming 10
days, but I hope that the coalition government would be formed very
soon," said Al-Hayya.
(Xinhua News Agency September 4, 2006)
