Abbas: Only Hamas is responsible for the Gaza Strip

PA president accuses Israel and Hamas of holding negotiations together, saying that Fatah has no presence whatsoever in the Strip.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas (photo credit: REUTERS)
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas
(photo credit: REUTERS)
Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas said that Hamas is completely responsible for Gaza, and not the joint Fatah-Hamas unity government, in a report on Sunday.
"The Palestinian Authority does not exist in the Gaza Strip. Hamas is responsible for the Gaza Strip," he said.
Abbas continued, saying that he will not negotiate over land with Israel, and accused Israel of holding secret negotiations with Hamas.
"I won't give up one inch of [land past the]1967 [borders]; I have evidence that Hamas and Israel are conducting negotiations," Abbas said.
Palestinian Authority Foreign Minister Riad Malki said on Monday that the PA decided to delay its statehood bid at the Security Council, which was supposed to take place at the end of November.
Malki told the Bethlehem-based Ma’an news agency that the decision to postpone the statehood bid came following US pressure and threats, as well as the failure of the PA to secure the backing of nine Security Council members in favor of the statehood bid.
However, by Saturday, Abbas changed his tune and said that if he did not receive answers from Israel regarding his demand to resume the peace talks on the basis of the pre-1967 lines by the end of the day, he would proceed with his statehood bid at the United Nations Security Council and join international organizations and treaties, including the International Criminal Court.
Khaled Abu Toameh contributed to this report.