Haneyya: Abbas is not allowed to sign anything concerning Palestinian rights

"GAZA, (PIC)-- Ismail Haneyya, the premier of the legitimate PA caretaker government, confirmed that no one is delegated at this stage to negotiate on behalf of the Palestinian people over any issue, and that any Palestinian leadership is not allowed to sign anything concerning the rights of the Palestinian people.

"In the past, yes we granted the PA chief Mahmoud Abbas authorization in his capacity as the head of the PLO, but now we say no one is authorized at this stage to negotiate at the expense of Palestinian rights, because we have fears of this political scrambling under the pressure of the political crisis," Haneyya stated during a meeting with representatives of international news agencies and papers.

Haneyya said that Hamas recognizes Abbas as the president of the Palestinian people, but it does not recognize his edicts which clash with the law and the constitution, describing his recent decision to withdraw all edicts he issued in the aftermath of the Makkah accord as an "administrative massacre" and a blow to Saudi Arabia, which brokered the accord.

The premier renewed his commitment to the Makkah accord, considering it valid and a base for Palestinian dialogue. He expressed regret that the inter-Palestinian dialogue is shaped by the American administration.

For his part, Sami Abu Zuhri, the Hamas spokesman in Gaza, confirmed that "Hamas can never be erased by presidential decrees," rejecting the edict issued by the PA chief sacking eight senior civil servants from their posts in the Gaza Strip.

"Sacking any employee cannot be without a court decision; therefore, it is normal that we reject such an edict; Abbas should stop issuing edicts that deepen the internal Palestinian chasm," Abu Zuhri said in a TV interview.

Regarding Abbas's provisions for any candidate in the upcoming elections to respect the PLO program and to abide by the agreements signed by the PA, the spokesman stated: "These conditions are illegal because the Palestinian law does not include them, and the one who is authorized to enact and amend laws is only the PLC."

He affirmed that the elections cannot be held in light of Hamas's boycott and rejection, and it is meaningless without Hamas's presence."