Palestinian parties Fatah and Hamas announce reconciliation

Hamas and Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) signed the end of nearly seven years of rivalry Wednesday. According to statements in a press conference held in Gaza, reconciliation will be formalized within five weeks with the establishment of a unity government to form interim chair of the current president of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), and leader of the PLO Mahmoud Abbas. Its first task will be the convening of a joint legislative elections in Gaza and the West Bank. The last was held in 2006. Palestinians have now half a year later to organize the next, once the unity government to be ratified by Parliament.

Israel ‘s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu canceled a meeting between representatives of the Government and the PLO planned for Wednesday afternoon after hearing the news of reconciliation between the two groups. It was the first warning sign before a deal announced just a week before the deadline for peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority of Abbas ends. Netanyahu accused Abbas of having “elected Hamas instead of peace.”

The Islamist Hamas controls Gaza and does not recognize the existence of Israel. From 2007 to today has also denied the legitimacy of the Government of Abbas in Ramallah (West Bank).

The announced reconciliation between Hamas and the PLO is based on previous agreements between the Palestinian factions at meetings in Cairo and Doha 2012 that never implemented.

While remaining open points in the agreement and despite these precedents unflattering, Palestinians say they have issued Wednesday a final step to resolve the political and administrative schism in the last seven years has separated the West Bank, administered by the Palestinian National Authority chaired Abbas, Gaza Strip. Subjected to a strict isolation from Israel, Gaza remained under control when Islamist Hamas violently ousted its rivals in 2007.

Speakers from the PLO in the negotiations as the leader and head of the Hamas government in Gaza, Ismail Haniya, said Wednesday that Mahmoud Abbas will also chair the unity government. Haniya told reporters gathered in Gaza is ” happy to proclaim the end of the division between the Palestinians.”

Israeli aircraft attacked targets as Wednesday in northern Gaza, minutes after the announcement of reconciliation, as Israeli military sources described as an “anti-terrorist operation.” Agence France Presse speaks six wounded, one of them seriously. Popular celebrations were marred in Gaza and the agreement that seeks to recover the coexistence between the Islamist Hamas and secular Fatah, the party of Mahmoud Abbas and main political force in the PLO.

Before the unexpected pact was announced, Israeli Prime Minister on Wednesday reiterated its opposition to any agreement with Hamas. Netanyahu repeated his Palestinian interlocutors that Abbas must ” decide whether to seek peace with Israel or Hamas.” Talks between Israel and the PNA are extended since last July. Despite U.S. tutelage, they have yet to even agree on a negotiating extension beyond next Tuesday. The agreement between Hamas and the PLO is interpreted in Israel as a way to pressure from Abbas on peace talks bogged down. Now hang in the balance.

U.S. warned after the announcement that only recognize a future Palestinian unity government which, in turn, recognize the State of Israel, renounce violence and endorse the agreements signed by the PA. U.S. government sources quoted by the Israeli daily Haaretz ensure that these conditions ” determine ” their relationship with the Palestinian unity government announced on Wednesday.

A couple of weeks ago, Secretary of State, John Kerry, threatened to abandon its mediating role to paralysis of Israelis and Palestinians, who advanced in the eternal negotiations.

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Posted by Abdul Basit Abbasi on Apr 25 2014. Filed under Middle East, World. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.