Hamas Falsely Blamed for Incident Involving PA Prime Minister

by Stephen Lendman

Targeted killings are longstanding US and Israeli practices, used in persuing their imperial agendas.

Numerous Hamas and other Palestinian officials were assassinated earlier - car bombings a favorite Israeli tactic, by no means the only one.

On Tuesday, a bomb was detonated near PA Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah's vehicle in Gaza. He and PA intelligence chief Majed Faraj was unscathed, several bystanders slightly injured.

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh condemned the attack, promising a full investigation into what happened.

No one so far claimed responsibility. Abbas shamefully blamed Hamas for the incident, a statement from his office, saying "this attack against the convoy of the prime minister (was) aimed at efforts and steps by (Abbas) to end division and achieve reconciliation," adding:

"Whoever carried out this act directly serves the interest of the Israeli occupation, the main beneficiary from the division."

Israel had motive and opportunity. It's repeatedly undermined earlier PA/Hamas unity efforts.

Following Monday's incident, Hamdallah said he is still committed to Palestinian unity." Leaving for Ramallah, he added: 

"I will return to Gaza despite what happened today, and I call on Hamas to allow the government to effectively control the Gaza Strip."

"What happened today will not stop us from continuing reconciliation efforts."

"Despite what happened, we will continue to build our institutions, and we will press on with the reconciliation efforts with the help of Egypt."

"I call on Hamas and all other factions to take part in the national Palestinian council that will convene in April, because this is a critical phase for the Palestinian people."

A statement issued by Hamas said the following:

"The Palestinian Islamic Movement Hamas condemns targeting the convoy of Dr Rami Hamadallah and considers it part of the attempts to destabilize the security in the Gaza Strip, as well as an attempt to undermine ongoing efforts to achieve the national unity and internal reconciliation."

"Hamas stresses that those, who targeted Hamadallah's convoy, are the same people who assassinated martyr Mazen Foqahaa and attempted to assassinate Major General Tawfiq abu-Naim."

"Meanwhile, Hamas condemns the ready accusations by the Palestinian presidency against Hamas, which calls for the security services and the ministry of interior to open an urgent and immediate investigation into the incident in order to know who is responsible for it and to bring the perpetrators to the court."

Hamas earlier accused Israel of assassinating its officials - the Netanyahu regime likely responsible for Tuesday's bombing incident.

It was likely another attempt to prevent PA/Hamas unity - a warning to Hamdallah, Faraj and others with them, short of wanting them killed.

When Israel wants PA, Hamas or other officials eliminated, its efforts nearly always succeed. 

Tactics used are more deadly than Tuesday's bomb detonation - perhaps just a shot across the bow, not a real assassination attempt.

VISIT MY NEW WEB SITE: stephenlendman.org (Home - Stephen Lendman). Contact at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

My newest book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III."

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html