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Friday, Nov 19, 2004

International

International

A shot in the arm for Hamas

By Atul Aneja

RAMALLAH, NOV. 18. Israel today released a top leader of the Palestinian militant group, Hamas, amid a flurry of political activity ahead of the presidential elections in January.

Sheikh Hassan Yusef, the senior-most leader of the Hamas in an Israeli jail, was released this morning, having completed a two-year prison term. Widely acknowledged as a relatively moderate leader, the 49-year old Mr. Yusef has the reputation of having forged close ties with Yasser Arafat and the jailed Fatah leader, Marwan Barghouthi.

Shortly after his release, Mr. Yusef went to Arafat's headquarters in Ramallah and laid a wreath at the grave of the Palestinian leader who died last week in France.

The release of Mr. Yusef is expected to help Hamas, which has a significant following in Gaza to increase its influence in the West Bank as well.

Series of meetings

Against the backdrop of the announced elections, the Fatah, which represents the mainstream Palestinian national movement is holding a series of meetings to express its choice of a presidential candidate. Though Mahmoud Abbas, head of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), is expected to emerge as the presidential candidate, some members of the Fatah have expressed reservations. Hani el Hassan, a member of the movement's powerful 20-member central committee, told reporters that Fatah members would hold meetings from Sunday to choose a presidential candidate.

Sakher Habash, another member of the Fatah central committee, said it was important to distinguish the authorities of the PLO Chairman, from the Presidency of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA). "The position of PLO Chairman is more important than that of the President of the PNA. We prefer Abu Mazen (Mr. Abbas) doing the job of the PLO Chairman," he said.

Mr. Habbash added that there was a possibility that Mr. Marwan Barghouti would be chosen by Fatah to run for presidency. Nabil Abu Rudeineh, a top aide of Arafat, announced on Wednesday that the Fatah movement's revolutionary council would also convene soon to choose a candidate. The Fatah has a 100-member revolutionary council which elects the Central Committee.

The movement also has a larger General Assembly which has not convened since the late eighties. With the momentum for polls building, some groups have begun seeking elections for the Palestinian Parliament, held last in 1996.

Plea for Parliament polls

Rabah Muhana, a leader of the Left-leaning Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), said his group along with four others would urge Mr. Abbas to set a date for parliamentary poll.

Mr. Abbas has been holding a series of meetings with Palestinian factions, including Hamas, following Arafat's death on November 11. There is an expectation that a parliamentary ballot, in which several groups including the Hamas are expected to participate will be scheduled during the early part of next year.

In preparing for the presidential poll, Mr. Abbas has held talks with Hamas and the militant group Islamic Jihad, urging them to suspend attacks against Israel. Both groups on Wednesday rejected Mr. Abbas' proposal, saying as long as Israel occupied the Palestinian territories and carried out assassinations, incursions, arrests and demolition, the armed resistance would never stop.

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