The Popular Resistance Committees (PRC), an armed Palestinian organization, is threatening the life of Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Faya’d because of a proposed change in the platform of the Palestinian government.
Faya’d proposed to omit a call for Palestinian “armed resistance” in the government’s platform on Friday.
The term “resistance” is frequently used to refer to terror attacks against Israelis.
PRC spokesman Muhammad ‘Abd ‘Alal said the “resistance” was a strategic choice which could not be annulled.
Faya’d and his men are traitors, he said, and they would be treated the same way as Israeli soldiers are treated.
The organization does not recognize Faya’d’s government, which it sees as a party collaborating with Israel.
The PRC supports the Hamas government of Isma’il Haniyya. The Hamas government was removed from power by Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud ‘Abbas last month after Hamas took over Gaza.
Faya’d’s new government was formed with ‘Abbas’ blessing, but Hamas and its supporters still see the former government as the legitimate executive authority.
The PRC is aligned with Hamas and is active mainly in Gaza, with no substantial following in the West Bank.
Hamas and the Islamic Jihad also condemned Faya’d’s proposed government platform.
Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said the organization was confident this measure would fail.
The word “resistance” was written in the blood of martyrs and could not be erased, he said.
Khalid Al-Batsh, a leading figure in Islamic Jihad, said Faya’d did not represent all the Palestinian people and his organization would not be bound by Faya’d’s decisions.
“Our plan in principle is based on resistance to drive out the occupier, whether Dr. Faya’d writes that resistance is the right of the Palestinian people or not,” Batsh said. “We will continue our resistance as long as the enemy remains on Palestine soil.”