Palestinian leaders divided over UN bid

The leader of Hamas Movement, Mosheer Al-Masri, has warned of the risks posed by the Palestinian UN bid. During a seminar organised by the Student Council of the Islamic University in Gaza, Al-Masri said, "We feel that this issue has serious risks, and the step proves the exclusive mentality of the PLO, which it has shown over a long period of time.” Al-Masri emphasised that the step is “a way to escape from the negotiations which have come to a dead end.” He questioned that the UN bid would have any benefit on Palestinians. “We must make a move and show our position, which calls to have our liberated lands without recognising Israel”, he said. He pointed out that the Zionist movement also went to the UN for recognition a year after they occupied the Palestinian territories. Ahmed Almudalal, the leader of Islamic Jihad, rejected the move, stressing that the PLO had made a unilateral decision to pursue the Bid. “Abbas must take full responsibility for the consequences.” "This has nothing to do with the Palestinians and it’s just a unilateral step by Abbas. Abbas should reconsider the move, and we should direct a message to him to remind him that the Palestinians are a lot more important than American hopes. The author and political analyst Mustafa Sawaf, said that Abbas’ strategy was built on delusion and wishful thinking. He wondered what would happen after the UN bid. "Going to the UN when we don’t know what our next step will be shows how deluded he is.” Jameel Mazhar, a leader of the Popular Front, supports the move, although questioned what would happen after the bid and criticised the lack of clarity in the whole issue. “The leadership must be clear and honest about their plan so that the Palestinians can be united in the UN bid.” He expressed concern that the bid might represent a step backwards in the peace negotiations.