Abbas criticizes Arab League for not boycotting Hamas

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Monday criticized the Arab League (AL) for not boycotting his bitter rival Islamic Hamas movement which rules the Gaza Strip.

Abbas told a group of Palestinian businessmen at his Ramallah headquarters that the AL should boycott Hamas movement "because it is the one which obstructs reaching an inter-reconciliation agreement."

"There has been a previous decision made by the Arab League one year ago saying that it would boycott the party which blocks or obstructs the inter-dialogue and the reconciliation," Abbas said.

He accused Hamas for having not so far accepted an Egyptian-drafted reconciliation pact, which was supposed to be signed by all Palestinian factions on Oct. 24, adding "they (Hamas) blocked reconciliation, so where is the boycott?"

Abbas' Fatah party accepted the Egyptian pact although it has some reservations. However, Hamas movement said that it will not sign on the pact until the text of the pact is amended.

Abbas said "Egypt is not biased, and it doesn't stand to the side of Fatah or the Palestinian National Authority (PNA)."

Abbas wondered "what is the position of the Arab League now after Hamas rejected to sign on the reconciliation pact," adding "we had demanded the Arab League follow-up committee to convene on Nov. 12 to say its final word."

Egypt, which sponsors the inter-Palestinian dialogue, announced in late October that signing on reconciliation was postponed "until a further notice" after Hamas said it will not sign on the pact before amending it.