Fatah accuses Hamas of delaying the elections for their benefit

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Ramallah – Sona Adeek Fatah has accused Hamas of delaying a general election until it is sure it will do well, and says the Islamist group would even prevent an election from taking place if it finds it’s unpopular .
Fatah spokesman, Ahmed Assaf, said: “Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas believes in democracy, as does Fatah, and we have accepted a peaceful transfer of power through the ballot box as it is the only method for the Palestinian people.  But others have made other decisions.”
Assaf stressed that elections are a right and duty of the Palestinian people to choose with their own free will who shall lead them through the coming stages.
The local elections were postponed three times in order to give a new opportunity for reconciliation, but Hamas had refuted the efforts of reconciliation.
Assaf considered Hamas’s prevention of the work of the Central Election Commission in the Gaza Strip as confirmation that Hamas does not believe in democracy, unless it achieves its own partisan goals and interests.
Assaf said that the arguments and pretexts by Hamas no longer convince any Palestinian side: “These excuses are used by all the dictatorial regimes in the world, and Hamas should re-consider its position and belief in democracy, governed by the people through the ballot box.”
Hamas responded by rejecting the allegations, saying the delays came about because the group had not yet agreed with the terms of reconciliation.
Dr Salah al-Bardawil, the spokesman for Hamas movement, said: “holding local elections only in the West Bank, away from Gaza and the participation of Hamas, is a way for Fatah to redeploy its power across the country.
Al-Bardawil called on President Abbas to return to reconciliation efforts.