The internal fighting between armed men from Fatah and Hamas in the Gaza Strip has rendered the Palestinian Authority’s (P.A.) political institutions non-functioning.
The parliament has conducted only one session in the past few weeks, and on Wednesday Fatah ministers decided not to participate in government sessions until further notice.
Hamas gunmen have, in the past few days, gained control over most of the Gaza Strip, including all refugee camps and the regional headquarters of the Palestinian National Security organization, one of Fatah’s main strongholds.
The last four days are the bloodiest the Gaza Strip has seen in the past few months. At least 50 people, including innocent passersby, have been killed and dozens wounded in the clashes.
"The Palestinian Authority has failed, especially [P.A. Chairman] Abu Mazen [Mahmoud ‘Abbas]," Fatah MP Fei’sal Abu Shahla told The Media Line.
Abu Shahla, a resident of Jabaliyya Refugee Camp in the Gaza Strip, said the P.A. was collapsing. He also expressed his view that "the national project of building a sovereign Palestinian state in the 1967 borders is falling apart."
According to Abu Shahla, a group within Hamas wanted to transform the Gaza Strip into an independent region.
"They will destroy the land and use it as a launching pad for attacks against Israel," he warned.
On the other hand, Hamas is blaming a group within Fatah, led by Muhammad Dahlan, of turning against the Palestinian interests and against ‘Abbas himself.
"This group is working according to foreign orders and a non-Palestinian agenda," Hamas MP Isma’il Al-Ashqar told The Media Line.
"Dahlan’s people are serving the interests of Israel, the U.S. and some of the Arab regimes," Al-Ashqar said.
Al-Ashqar maintained that Hamas’ control over the Gaza Strip would bring stability to the citizens of the strip and to Israel as well.
"This will strengthen the Palestinian Authority. If Hamas controls the Gaza Strip it does not mean that a world war will begin or even a war between the Gaza Strip and Israel," said Abu Al-Ashqar.