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Hamas lawmaker calls on Abbas to quit

Israel Materials 19 February 2009 15:59 (UTC +04:00)

A Hamas lawmaker on Thursday asked Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to quit and call for presidential elections, accusing Abbas of being unable to tackle the internal crisis, Xinhua reported.

"Everyone in the national scene agree that the politically- motivated arrests must stop and we think Abbas can do this due to his political determination," said Yehia Moussa, a Hamas lawmaker in Gaza, referring to the arrests of Hamas supporters by pro-Abbas forces in the West Bank.

"If Abbas is unable to do this, he should leave his post and call for new presidential elections to replace him with a new president who would be able to tackle the national tasks," he added.

In 2007, Hamas drove out pro-Abbas forces from the Gaza Strip and took over control of the territory. Since then, the two movements have been cracking down against each other's dissidents: Hamas supporters in the West Bank and Fatah-affiliated people in Gaza.

Two Hamas members held by the security services in the West Bank have died. On the other hands, human rights group accuse Hamas of killing and torturing tens of Fatah supporters in the Gaza Strip.

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