PA SOUGHT CANCELLATION OF CARTER’S VISIT TO GAZA

Gaza, 12 Rajab 1436/1 May 2015 (MINA) – A well informed Palestinian source said yesterday that the Palestinian Authority (PA) had sought the cancellation of the former US President Jimmy Carter’s visit to the Gaza Strip, Quds Press reported.

Israeli newspaper Haaretz said that Carter had planned to make the visit today in an attempt to draw attention to the humanitarian situation in the war-battered territory. The trip included planned meetings with Hamas officials in the coastal enclave.

According to Quds Press, the Palestinian official said: “The PA sees that the cancellation or calling off Carter’s visit to Gaza will not give Hamas any sign of achievement. It will abort all efforts being exerted by Carter to achieve the Mecca 2 agreement.” Middle East Monitor (MEMO) quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

The official noted that aides of PA President Mahmoud Abbas fear Arab pressure being put on Abbas to force him to commit to a potential reconciliation agreement with Hamas. This would show that Abbas is the side who is hindering the reconciliation, the official said.

The official also added that Fatah committed a mistake when its official Abdullah Abdullah announced 36 hours before the official announcement that Carter had cancelled his trip to Gaza.

He said that the PA sought the cancellation of the visit and made efforts to show that the pressure came from outside in order not appear as a reason behind the cancellation.

Fatah, the official said, wants to put more pressure on Gaza and show that Hamas is diplomatically isolated and has no political scope. (T/P002/R03)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)