Hamas: We will never accept a referendum

The Hamas Movement has stressed that it would never accept a referendum on the prisoners' document regardless of the price, charging that the referendum represented a violation of the Palestinian law and legitimacy.



Sami Abu Zuhri, Hamas spokesman, said that five Palestinian factions had refuted the PLO executive committee's claims that all Palestinian forces were in agreement over the Hadarim prison document and were supportive of a referendum with the exception of Hamas.

"The document has positive points and also has controversial points," Abu Zuhri highlighted.

He charged that his Movement viewed the growing pressures for holding a referendum as an attempt to turn around the legitimacy of the Hamas-formed PA government.

He further asserted that Hamas would not allow the downfall of the government and would continue to welcome national dialogue away from threats.

Abu Zuhri regretted that the PA presidency did not provide the suitable atmosphere for the national dialogue, threatening at its inauguration session to resort to referendum if no agreement was reached within ten days.

He pointed to numerous attempts to hamper work of the government ever since its establishment, such as stripping it of information and security authorities.

"We are a government with no funds, no security, no media أ¢â‚¬آ¦ this is an unacceptable situation," the Hamas spokesman warned, adding that the government should be granted its full authorities.

Abu Zuhri then waged an unprecedented attack on Yasser Abed Rabbo, the PLO executive committee member, who voiced threats against Hamas, saying that this person does not represent anything in the Palestinian arena other than himself. "He has no weight and only represents the Geneva document which gave up the Palestinian refugees' right of return," the spokesman added.

He said that his Movement would adopt "necessary measures" if PA chief Mahmoud Abbas issued a decree ordering a referendum, and finally held those ordering the referendum fully responsible for the serious repercussions of such a step

ALLAHUAKBAR