The Islamist Hamas organization marked ten years since it took over the Palestinian enclave by force from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah movement – an anniversary that also marks the bitter rivalry between the two Palestinian groups. The battles between Fatah and Hamas erupted across the Gaza Strip ten years ago, when Fatah refused to relinquish all of its power after Hamas managed to win the first-ever democratic election held in the Palestinian territories. Since then, Fatah – which maintained control of the West Bank – and Hamas – which enforced its power over the Gaza Strip – have maintained a hostile rivalry.
Nevertheless, the Palestinian Authority, which is Chaired by President Mahmoud Abbas, has represented the Palestinian population of the Hamas-run territory toward Israel, as Jerusalem refuses to communicate with Hamas, which it views as a terrorist organization. Meanwhile, since the weakening of the Muslim Brotherhood in the region, which is the umbrella organization of Hamas, as well as the growing isolation of the backers of the Islamist group – including Iran and Qatar – Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has decided to apply pressure on Hamas by means of his economic leverage on the Gaza Strip, with the aim of re-exerting his lost control over the enclave.
The Palestinian Authority issued a statement last night accusing Hamas of making life for the Palestinians living in Gaza a “living hell”, while vowing to advance additional measures against Hamas, unless the internationally recognized terror group relinquish its control to the Palestinian leadership in Ramallah.