Palestinians hold their breath as signs of a Fatah-Hamas peace deal increase
Abbas sending delegation headed by Azzam Al-Ahmad to Cairo
issued a statement welcoming the upcoming unity talks in Cairo.
“Reconciliation is critical to addressing the grave humanitarian crisis in Gaza, preventing the continuing militant buildup and restoring hope for the future,” he said.
“I urge all parties to seize the current positive momentum and reach an agreement that would allow the Palestinian government to immediately take up its responsibilities in Gaza.”
After so many false alarms, the Palestinian public is understandably suspicious of reconciliation talks. Arab News spoke to a number of Palestinians who were cautiously optimistic about the small breakthrough. But they said they had little faith in the reconciliation process being completed and reaching the desired goal of genuine unity.
Khaled Abu Arafeh, the minister for Jerusalem affairs in Ismail Haniyeh’s first government, told Arab News that the current change is born out of short-term tactics rather than long-term aims.
“I don’t believe it is serious by either side,” Abu Arafeh said.
“Hamas has a serious problem and they need to get out of it. At the same time, they are using the weakness of Fatah and Abbas, and his need to find a way to get Mohammed Dahlan (former leader of Fatah in Gaza) out of the picture.
“I think it is a tactical decision, not a strategic shift.”
Kaied Me’iari, the director of the Nablus-based Witness Center for Citizens’ Rights, told Arab News that the current progress is due to that fact that both sides need each other at the moment.
He said: “Hamas is in a bind and Fatah wants to find a way to keep Dahlan out. That is why the unity talks will succeed in the short term but will not reach the goal of elections and total unity.”
Hani Al-Masri, a senior Palestinian analyst and former director of the Massarat think tank in Ramallah, also said he thought the latest developments would not ultimately lead anywhere.
“It doesn’t look like there is any movement, just maneuvers that lead nowhere,” he told Arab News.