Palestinian leader condemns Hamas, demanding the release of captives and disarmament, using derogatory term "sons of dogs."
Revised Article:
In a fiery televised speech, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas branded Hamas "backstabbers" and demanded the release of the remaining Israeli hostages in Gaza, as well as the disarmament of the militant group. This intense language represents perhaps the strongest public criticism of Hamas that Abbas has made to date, marking a significant departure from his previous tone.
Abbas emphasized the pressing need to halt "the ongoing Israeli genocide that the Gaza Strip is enduring." He argued that the hostages serve as an excuse for Israel to continue its relentless attacks on the besieged territory.
"Backstabbers, release the hostages and quit justifying their actions!" Abbas thundered from Ramallah in the occupied West Bank on Wednesday. Israel has firmly denied accusations of genocide, claiming that its military operations in Gaza are a matter of self-defense, primarily targeting Hamas.
The latest remarks come amid a renewed push for ceasefire negotiations between Israel and Hamas, with Egypt also advocating for the disarmament of the group. While Abbas hasn't condemned the October 7 attack on Israel outright, he has criticized Hamas for it in the past and expressed general condemnation of attacks against civilians.
Abbas articulated his vision for a Palestinian state, reiterating his calls for an end to the war in Gaza and pushing for unity among Palestinian political factions under the umbrella of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). His agenda also included a complete withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.
"Hamas must cease its control over the Gaza Strip and surrender all of its responsibilities to the Palestine Liberation Organization and the legitimate Palestinian Authority," Abbas stated. The PLO is a coalition of parties that signed a peace treaty with Israel in 1993 and formed the Palestinian Authority (PA) with promises of statehood, although these never materialized. Both the PLO and the PA are dominated by Fatah, which Abbas leads. Hamas, however, was not a part of the 1993 accords and does not recognize Israel.
In his speech, Abbas accused Hamas of causing "significant, irreparable damage" to the Palestinian cause since seizing control of Gaza in 2007. He pointed out that Hamas had aided Israel in providing "reprehensible free services," either intentionally or unintentionally, and offered Israel "convenient excuses" to carry out its acts of violence in Gaza.
In response, Hamas dismissed Abbas' claims and questioned his "effectiveness," claimed in a statement that he "keeps repeating, with ill-intent, blaming our Palestinian people for the crimes committed by the occupation and continuing aggression."
Abbas additionally appealed to the international community to implement prior United Nations Security Council resolutions and convene an international peace conference.
The animosity between Hamas and Fatah runs deep. Reconciliation attempts between the two have failed multiple times, most recently in 2017 when a unity agreement rapidly disintegrated following a violent confrontation.
The PA held administrative control over Gaza until 2007, when Hamas won the 2006 legislative elections in the occupied territories and expelled the PA from the strip. Since then, Hamas has governed Gaza, and the PA controls parts of the West Bank. Notably, Hamas and Fatah signed a reconciliation agreement in Cairo in 2017, under pressure from Arab states, including Egypt. However, this agreement quickly dissolved when PA Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah was the target of an assassination attempt in March 2018, just moments after arriving in Gaza. Hamas was immediately blamed for the attack.
Recent developments include the signing of an agreement by Hamas and Fatah in Beijing in July 2022 intended to "end division and strengthen Palestinian unity." This agreement followed reconciliation talks hosted by China, involving 14 Palestinian factions.
- Amidst the intense politics and war-and-conflicts in the Middle East, Abbas vehemently criticized Hamas for numerous reasons, including their control over Gaza and their perceived complicity with Israel.
- In a significant departure from his previous tone, Abbas branded Hamas "backstabbers" and accused them of aiding Israel and providing "reprehensible free services."
- Abbas also argued that Hamas' actions serve as a significant excuse for Israel to continue its attacks on the Gaza Strip, which he described as enduring an ongoing Israeli genocide.
- On Wednesday, the world watches as the ongoing war-and-conflicts in the Middle East continue, with the latest development being a significant appeal from Abbas to the international community to implement United Nations Security Council resolutions and convene an international peace conference.
- Despite Abbas' accusations, Hamas dismissed his claims and questioned his effectiveness, claiming that he repeatedly blames the Palestinian people for the crimes committed by Israel and the ongoing aggression.
