Following the dramatic developments in the Gaza Strip after June
14, it became more complicated to narrow the political and
ideological gap between the Islamic Hamas and the secular Fatah
through dialogue, local analysts said.
Senior Fatah official Azzam al-Ahmad said Saturday in Amman that
Fatah set conditions to restart dialogue with Hamas, which include
Hamas' handing over ministries, institutions and documents to the
emergency Palestinian government and returning matters to the
pre-June 14 conditions in the Gaza Strip.
On June 14, Hamas militarily seized all Fatah facilities in
Gaza, including President Mahmoud Abbas' home and office compound,
and controlled the Strip.
In response, Abbas sacked the national unity government led by
Hamas, and sworn in a Hamas-free emergency government in the West
Bank, which Hamas denounced as "illegitimate." Abbas also outlawed
Hamas and all its affiliated groups by issuing a presidential
decree.
While Hamas movement said on Saturday that it welcomed any
internal or foreign efforts to narrow gap between it and the
secular Fatah led by Abbas to secure the resumption of talks, it
did not respond positively to Fatah's requirements.
Given that, Palestinian observers believed that before anything
would happen, first and foremost, a long-lost confidence should be
restored between Abbas and Hamas.
Long-running feud
The feud between the two ideologically and politically different
groups is time-honored. Before Hamas' control of the Gaza Strip,
the two sides had repeatedly tried to overcome their differences
through extensive national dialogue.
The major ideological difference between Fatah and Hamas is that
how to establish a Palestinian state. Fatah under Abbas wants an
independent, or secular Palestinian state to be established through
peace negotiations with Israel while Hamas wants an Islamic
Palestinian state established through armed struggle against
Israel, analysts said.
The political differences between them hinge on the issues of
the recognition of Israel and the condemnation of violence.
Abbas, chairman of Palestine Liberation Organization recognized
Israel and condemned violence in 1988.
But Hamas movement, which won in January 2006 legislative
elections, refused to recognize Israel, honor the signed interim
agreements or renounce violence against Israel.
The seesaw battle between the two movements on power spiraled up
when Abbas threatened to go for a referendum to ask the
Palestinians if they want to go for early elections.
Following this threat, Abbas' Fatah and Hamas agreed to head for
another round of dialogue in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. The dialogue
ended with an agreement, also known as Mecca deal, to end
infighting and to form a national unity government headed by Hamas
but absorbing Fatah element.
However, the unity government, which was awarded with hails and
plaudits at the very beginning, inevitable fell apart after three
months hard tug.
Restarting talks needs greater efforts
Now that Hamas took over Gaza, greater efforts from various
sides are needed to draw the two rival movements back to
negotiating table to solve the impasse, analysts said.
"I don't expect that Abbas would be able to sit face-to-face
with Hamas leaders soon, especially following the bitter defeat of
his Fatah movement in the Gaza Strip," said Hani al-Masri, a
political analyst from Gaza.
Some hold that the situation actually bolsters Abbas' strength
and gives him a greater leverage as Hamas now is in an impasse and
broader isolation from the Arab and the International community,
given the attitude of the Arab Foreign Minister's decision which
came in harmony with the five conditions set by Abbas to restart
dialogue.
"After Abbas failed to get what he wants through dialogue, the
new situation in Gaza after June 14 helped him to a great extent
isolate Hamas and squeeze it in the corner of the Gaza Strip," said
Hani Habib, another analyst from Gaza.
However, some others remain optimistic that with the mediation
efforts by moderate Arab countries, which have been pushing for
renewed inter-Palestinian talks since Gaza fell into Hamas, a
dialogue is still possible, though it "requires big efforts from
the two factions."
"I think the Arab mediations may succeed to bring the two sides
for talks after they give up their preconditions. When they calm
down, I think there will be a room to go back to talks according to
Mecca deal," said Habib.
He added that Hamas movement's leaders at the same time
intensified their calls for a renewal of dialogue based on the fact
that "there is no winner or looser."
However, regarding Fatah's preconditions for restarting talks,
Khalil Abu Laila, Hamas' foreign relations chief, said that it is
impossible to restore the things to the shape in which they were in
the past.
"What do they (Fatah) mean when calling for this? Do they mean
to restore the killing and the crimes?" Laila heckled.
He asserted that Hamas have served people's demands of security
and safety in Gaza.
"Our vision for talks is clear, we should refer to Mecca deal
and the political partnership which appeared there and to open of
all files, including the true political partnership and rebuilding
the security services on national basis instead of dedicating them
to help the 'occupation'," said Abu Laila.
Asked if Hamas should apologize to the Palestinians for what
happened in Gaza, Abu Laila said "It's Abbas who should make an
apology to the people for staging a coup by installing a government
without taking the parliament's approval."
(Xinhua News Agency July 10, 2007)
