BICOM

Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas has voiced his objection to the terms of a truce between Israel and Hamas.

According to senior Fatah official Hussein al-Sheikh on Palestine TV, Abbas expressed strong opposition to the idea of establishing a seaport in Cyprus and an airport near Eilat, saying such a plan was “destructive to the Palestinian cause and would kill the Palestinian dream of establishing a Palestinian state”.

“If the agreement is signed without the PA’s permission, it is illegal and constitutes treason,” Abbas reportedly said. Al-Sheikh added that Hamas is “seeking to consolidate the split between the West Bank and Gaza Strip and tighten its grip over the Gaza Strip,” before stating that the Palestine Liberation Organisation was the only body authorised to take a decision on a truce with Israel.

Osama Hamdan, a senior Hamas official based in Lebanon, told Hamas-affiliated Al-Quds TV that Hamas will not accept Abbas’s demand to hand over its weapons and “end the resistance” against Israel in order to reach a reconciliation agreement.

Maan reports that Palestinian reconciliation talks are due to resume in Cairo and Egyptian officials will invite the factions to conclude the talks after Fatah give the Egyptians a final answer on the details of the Israel-Hamas truce proposals.

According to Israel’s Kan News, Abbas told Israeli academics at his headquarters in Ramallah yesterday that he supports a demilitarised Palestinian state, the security of which will be maintained by police, not military forces.

Israeli security officials believe that the chances for progress in these reconciliation talks are very low since each side has entirely different interests and Israel is preparing for the negative consequences after the failed attempt to reach an agreement.