RAMALLAH – The Hamas Deputy Politburo Chief Moussa Abu Marzouq Monday called on Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas of rival Fatah party to hand over the Palestinian control of the West Bank to Hamas instead of Israel. Abu Marzouk wrote on his Facebook page, “Why would he pass the keys to (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu?” He added that Abbas should have threatened to pass the Palestinian Authority (PA) to Hamas, which, he argued, was qualified to “make another success in the West Bank” as it claims to have done in Gaza. The Hamas leader was commenting on Abbas threat to “return the PA keys to Israel” if no progress is made in peace talks after the elections and construction in the settlements doesn't stop. Abbas said in an interview with the Israeli daily Haaretz Friday that “if there is no progress even after the election I will take the phone and call (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu. I'll tell him, ‘My dear friend, Mr. Netanyahu, I am inviting you to the Muqata'a, the presidential headquarters in Ramallah. Sit in the chair here instead of me, take the keys, and you will be responsible for the PA'.” He added that “once the new government in Israel is in place, Netanyahu will have to decide – yes or no.” Abu Marzouk also said that such a move would be the best way to achieve reconciliation between the rival movements. According to Arab media reports, Abu Marzouk is set to take over the leadership from Khaled Mish'al. Mish'al, who has led Hamas-in-exile since 1996 and chaired the Hamas political bureau, has not sought reelection in polling that has been under way for the past five months. The split in Palestinian territories widened in 2007, when Hamas, which won the parliamentary elections in 2006, routed forces loyal to Abbas and took over the Gaza Strip. In May, Fatah and Hamas signed a reconciliation deal in Cairo to end around five years of internal division. Since then, representatives of the two movements held several meetings abroad but failed to resolve the obstacles blocking its implementation, particularly the formation of interim government, the obstacle of the new prime minister, the issues of passports and the political detainees.
