West Bank: Palestinian President Abbas accuses Hamas of trying “to sabotage and destroy” Palestinian peace

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has accused Hamas of trying “to destroy” efforts to mediate national unity, alleging that the Palestinian movement was responsible for the bomb blasts in Gaza this past week.

Speaking at the 10^th death anniversary of veteran Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat on Tuesday, Abbas said that Hamas was responsible for the Gaza attacks which targeted leaders of the Fatah movement to which Abbas belongs.

Hamas quickly hit back at Abbas, describing his allegations as “lies”.

The blasts led to the cancellation of a memorial service for Arafat in Gaza – Fatah’s founder had died under mysterious circumstances in a Parisian hospital.

“Those who caused the explosions in Gaza are the leaders of Hamas — they are responsible”, Abbas said in the city of Ramallah, accusing Hamas of trying to “to sabotage and destroy the Palestinian national project”.

Earlier in the year, the two Palestinian movements had signed a reconciliation agreement, ending seven brutal years of rivalry which saw Gaza and the West Bank led by different administrations. The deal led to the formation of the unity government which has taken office in Ramallah but has been unable to fully exert its power in Hamas-stronghold Gaza.

After the speech, Hamas called Abbas “sectarian and partisan”.

“Abbas’s speech is web of lies, insults and disinformation. What the Palestinian people need is a courageous president”, Hamas spokesman Mushir al-Masri said in Gaza.

Abbas also spoke about the clashes in east Jerusalem and the unrest near the Al-Aqsa mosque was triggered by far-right Jewish demands for the right to pray there.

The Palestinians “will defend Al-Aqsa and the churches against the settlers and extremists”, he pledged. He also reaffirmed plans to submit to the UN Security Council a draft resolution calling for an end to Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories by November 2016.