Hamas desires PA elections in order to make a "deal with Netanyahu," claims PA Daily
Excerpt of an op-ed by Bassem Barhoum, regular columnist for the official PA daily
Headline: “Hamas desires elections – why?”
“There is nothing surprising about brotherly Hamas (i.e., refers to Hamas being an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood), as they roll over according to the regional and international demands in order to achieve the Muslim Brotherhood’s goals, which are not national, pan-Arab, or even Islamic religious goals, but rather just the interests of the Muslim Brotherhood…
I have monitored Hamas’ media and all the statements of their leaders and spokesmen, beginning with [Hamas Political Bureau member Khaled] Mashal in his statements to the Hamas TV channel 10 days ago, as his entire goal was to send messages to the Israelis saying that Hamas is making do with taking care of the residents’ affairs – health, education, and social and religious affairs – and the issue of the [Palestinian] state is not on its agenda, neither [the state] nor the PLO’s entire project.
What does this mean? It means that it is agreeing with the model of [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu, which is the deal of the century (i.e., US President Donald Trump’s Middle East peace plan), and that it is possible to live with it without an independent state, without sovereignty, without Jerusalem, and even the Jordan Valley could not be a problem! What is important is to manage the residents with financial and monetary gains.
Hamas desires [PA] elections because they are the opening for having this deal with Netanyahu, which is the same deal of [Israeli Arab Parliament Member] Mansour Abbas, the leader of the southern Islamic Movement [in Israel], which is also a brotherly movement.”
The Trump peace plan – US President Donald Trump announced his Israel–Palestinian peace plan "Peace to Prosperity" – commonly known as “the deal of the century” - on Jan. 28, 2020. Main points of the plan: 1- Israeli sovereignty would be applied to the Jordan Valley and all Israeli towns and cities in the West Bank. 2- Jerusalem, including all its holy sites, would remain under Israeli sovereignty with accommodations made to enable access for Palestinians. 3- The remainder of the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and part of what is currently Israeli land in the Negev, the Galilee, and Jerusalem - creating a territory almost equal in size to the West Bank and Gaza Strip - would form the Palestinian state, with its capital in neighborhoods in East Jerusalem that are outside of Israel's security wall. 4- The Palestinian state would be demilitarized, with Israel responsible for external security and controlling all airspace. 5- All Palestinian prisoners except murderers, and those who attempted or conspired to murder would be released. 6- Palestinians in refugee camps would be absorbed into their host countries and, subject to certain limitations, into the Palestinian state. 7- Before becoming a state, the Palestinians would have to carry out extensive reform of their laws and institutions, including implementing a new governing system; granting its people due process and basic human rights and freedoms; end all incitement to and incentivizing of terror; end all glorification of terror and martyrdom; disarm Hamas; and adopt a culture promoting peace. The goal of the plan is to create a Palestinian state beside Israel, living in peace and security. The implementation would be facilitated through extensive international investment.