Hamas fears elections, Israel killed Arafat

The Palestinian Ambassador to Tunisia Salman El Herfi has accused Hamas of fearing upcoming elections, saying that Gaza has “clearly expressed its support for the Palestinian Authority (PA).” El Herfi pointed to the recent success of the PA gaining observer membership to the UN General Asssembly as evidence of Hamas’ “divisive lies.” Despite this, the ambassador insisted that the PA was not against the Tunisian government approaching Hamas, as long as they are not “recognised as legitimate rulers”, he said. Speaking about recent rumours that Hamas is engaged in negotiations with Israel, El Herfi said: "Our stand is explicit and we are against the indirect negotiations with Israel that perpetuate division among the Palestinian people and which deal with Gaza as an isolated state.” Meanwhile, in response to Egypt’s aggressive demolition of smuggling tunnels leading into Gaza, El Herfi told Arabstoday that “the Palestinian people are not beggars.” He accused “warlords” and Hamas “fat cats” of profiting from the smuggling and called on the state to focus more on lifting the siege on Gaza rather than on “legitimatising the tunnels.” El Herfi also commented on Israel’s recent smear campaign against the famed Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat. "We are in a state of war so it is natural that the Israeli enemy seeks to strike and target Palestinian symbols, particulary considering the popularity of President Yasser Arafat,” he said. The remains of the former leader were exhumed in November last year as part of an investigation by the PA to determine the exact cause of his death. Swiss, French and Russian experts were given samples to establish whether his death in Paris in 2004 at the age of 75 was the result of poisoning. El Herfi confirmed on Tuesday that evidence by the international authorities shows that the revered figure, also referred to as Abu Ammar, is likely to have died of polonium-210 poisoning, in an assassination bid by Israel.