Brussels, 18/12/2006 (Agence Europe) - On Sunday, the day after the announcement of early elections by President of the Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas, the European Union called on Palestinians to resolve their differences peacefully, despite the continuing clashes between Hamas and Fatah militants in the territories. In a declaration, the Finnish EU Presidency calls on Palestinian groups to show restraint, encouraging them to work for national unity and to resume the peace process. This is the only way to ease the deteriorating humanitarian and economic situation in the Palestinian territories, it stresses.
Although discussions on the formation of a national unity government between the Fatah, Mr Abbas' party and the Hamas-led government are deadlocked, the President of the Palestinian Authority hopes new elections will allow this political crisis to be overcome. This initiative was, however, immediately rejected by the Palestinian government. Prime Minister Ismaïl Haniyeh said such elections were “unconstitutional and could cause tension between Palestinians”. Violence had indeed broken out on Sunday throughout the Palestinian territory, where rival factions continued to clash on Monday.
The EU Presidency states that President Abbas' speech and his announcement calling for early elections is an attempt to break the political deadlock. It hopes, however, that the attempt at reaching a national unity government will be continued. The EU has “constantly supported President Abbas and his efforts to form a government of national unity”, the EU Presidency stressed, recalling European Council's “readiness to work with a legitimate Palestinian government that adopts a platform reflecting the Quartet principles” (EUROPE 9329). “At this critical moment, we call on all Palestinians to restrain from violence and resolve their differences through peaceful means”, the Commissioner for External Relations, Benita Ferrero-Waldner, says in a press release. “Whether this implies a national unity government or elections is an internal matter for the Palestinian people to decide”, she states, also recalling the need for the Palestinian government to come into line with Quartet principles. (ab)