Abbas wants a government of national cohesion

- The president of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, suggested Monday to the Islamist movement Hamas the forming of a government of national unity that would hold legislative and presidential elections simultaneously in the West Bank and Ghaza.

•     Mr. Abbas made the offer in Kuwait at the Arab summit during which King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia has announced that his country, the world's leading exporter of oil, donated a billion dollars for the reconstruction of the Ghaza Strip, devastated by 22 days of Israeli offensive that caused more than 1,300 Palestinian Martyrs.
  
      In an apparent reference to Iran, the main support of Hamas, the ruler of Saudi Arabia has also called for ‘overcome the political differences that led to Arab divisions exploited by (....) all those who want to achieve their regional goals.
  
      The king was speaking at the opening of a two-day summit during which Arab leaders are to discuss with delay, the Israeli offensive and to consider financing the reconstruction of the Palestinian territory.
  
      Participants will also discuss economic complementarity between their countries at the summit, which would originally focus on the economy but has been renamed Summit of Solidarity with the Palestinian people in Ghaza’.
  
      The majority of leaders of 22 members of the Arab League, that the conflict in Ghaza has divided between supporters and opponents of Hamas, the target of the Israeli offensive, are present.
  
      The summit is held in the aftermath of a ceasefire declared separately by Israel, and then by Hamas, followed by an early withdrawal (progressive) of the Israeli army.
  
      ‘Now, we need a government of national cohesion that will organize legislative and presidential elections’ in the West Bank and Ghaza Strip,’ said Abbas, who is also the leader of Fatah, the general rival of Hamas in the territories.
  
      Since Hamas ousted Fatah in June 2007 in the Ghaza Strip, the Palestinian Authority of Mahmoud Abbas has lost control of the West Bank.
  
      ‘What is needed now is that all Palestinians meet to reach an agreement,’ he added.
  
      Opening the summit at the palace the guests, the Bayan Palace, the emir of Kuwait, Cheikh Sabah al-Ahmed Al-Sabah, urged his hosts to contribute to ‘a confirmation of the ceasefire’ and announced a Kuwaiti aid of USD 34 million to UNRWA, the UN agency for aid to Palestinian refugees.
  
      The Syrian President Bachar al-Assad, one of the most fervent supporters of Hamas, has instead urged Arab countries to provide ‘a clear and unequivocal commitment to the Palestinian resistance’ and ‘reject that who would doubt of its legitimacy or tries to weaken it’.
  
      He also proposed at the summit to describe Israel as a ‘terrorist entity’.
  
      In another apparent reference to Iran, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, for his part, regretted that some Arab countries have ‘exploited the tragedy of Ghaza for an infiltration of the Arab world by foreign forces who seek to impose their hegemony and to expand their influence.’
  
      Mubarak, whose country played a key role to achieve the ceasefire in Ghaza, warned Israel that ‘the arrogance of force can never stop the resistance’.
  
      He also stated that his country would ‘continue its efforts to achieve reconciliation between the Palestinian Authority and the factions (Palestinian), without whom there will never be stability in Ghaza’.
  
      The President of UAE, Cheikh Khalifa ben Zayed Al Nahyan, left Kuwait before the end of the opening session. The agency Kuna Kuwaiti official announced his departure without giving reasons.
  
      
  Ennaharonline/ M. O.