Cease fire negotiations continue in Egypt today.
An Egyptian staged-peace plan for Gaza is at the center of negotiations, building on an initial ceasefire, then moving on to the re-opening of border crossings into Gaza, followed by reconciliation between rival Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah.
VOA
President Obama's ME Envoy, George Mitchell is expected to arrive in the region on Wednesday. Admittedly the cease fire is fragile, and all sides face the challenge of how to manage a recovery effort, while preserving the cease fire. Israel is concerned about Hamas rearming if the Egyptian border crossing is reopened, and is also concerned about Hamas gaining any further political legitimacy or popular support if Hamas gets access to the distribution of relief goods and supplies. Israel has signalled that it will accept a Fatah border security force, and Hamas hasn't rejected the idea. This diary will discuss the possibility and implications of a political reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah that will lead to a single, unity government for the Palestinians, and ask "should the US support a reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah?
More below the fold
Reconciliation between the two major Palestinian factions has been a goal of some Arab leaders since the split over the elections, and the coups and countercoup that left Hamas in power in Gaza and Fatah in power in the West Bank.
In early 2007, The Saudis brokered an agreement between Fatah and Hamas Mecca Agreement, which was promptly rejected by the US and the Quartet
The Middle East Quartet (US, Russia, EU and UN) already has said the Mecca accord doesn't meet the conditions for a renewal of direct international funding and support for the PA. United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, as well, reacted on Monday to the Mecca accord by reiterating the Quartet's demands. A similar position was adopted by EU foreign ministers meeting in Brussels on Monday.
Diplomatically, the accord is a blow to US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who until now had jointly been advancing a policy of "strengthening" Fatah leader (and PA President) Mahmoud Abbas at the expense of Hamas leaders Ismail Haniyeh (PA Premier) and Khaled Mashal (the Hamas supra-leader and terrorist mastermind -- who lives in Syria).
last March, Hamas and Fatah actually agreed, again, in principle to move towards reconciliation
Under the Yemeni plan, Fatah and Hamas agreed on the goal of uniting in a single Palestinian government. The proposal was signed Sunday by a representative from Hamas and by a senior Fatah official, former Palestinian Prime Minister Azzam al-Ahmed.
But Israel seems to totally reject any idea of reconciliation:
Also Monday, an Israeli official that a reconciliation between rival Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas would mean an end to peace talks with the Fatah-dominated Palestinian Authority.
"The Fatah leadership has to make a choice," the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.
"They can have a peace process and dialogue with Israel or a coalition with Hamas. But it's clear that you can't have them both.
Haaretz
The Bush administration had sought to frustrate any Hamas/Fatah reconciliation efforts, preferring to strengthen Fatah legitimacy in the West Bank.
Bush's reaction to the Hamas victory made everything worse. He backed an economic blockade of Gaza, discouraging reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah, and arming and training Fatah security forces to seize power in Gaza. That policy backfired in June 2007, when Hamas conducted its own ruthless coup against Fatah security forces and took complete control over Gaza.
It is instructive that, in the current war situation, Abbas and Egypt's government are blaming Hamas for bringing disaster on Gazans. This reflects an anxiety common to nearly all the Arab regimes: a worry that Bush's fecklessness has allowed Iran, through its arming and funding of Hamas, to supplant the Arab states as prime defender of the Palestinian cause.
Combined with Iran's projection of influence into Iraq and Lebanon, thanks to Bush's many missteps, the current Gaza conflict highlights the degree to which Bush's bungling has empowered adversaries and enfeebled friends.
Bush's Mideast legacy
In November, 2008, Egypt made one more effort to reach agreement in reconciliation of Hamas and Fatah, but talks broke off due to Fatah's unwillingness to agree to stop arresting killing Hamas members in the West Bank.
GAZA, Nov. 10 (Xinhua) -- Frustration and despair have mounted among the Palestinians after Egypt announced that it decided to postpone the inter-dialogue of reconciliation, which was due to take place in Cairo on Monday, to end the current political split between Gaza and the West Bank.
Egypt decided to postpone the dialogue right after it was informed by Hamas and Islamic Jihad movements that both are not yet ready for the dialogue until Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas stops the arresting campaign against the two movements' activists in the West Bank.
Hamas, Fatah reconciliation becomes impossible mission
In December a petition movement among the Palestinians for reconciliation was started
Several current and former lawmakers from Hamas and Fatah say they want to collect 100,000 signatures on a petition urging the rival factions to reconcile.
The petition is to be launched Monday in the city of Nablus. The document asks Hamas and Fatah to stop media attacks on each other, release political prisoners and organize a new round of reconciliation talks.
Petition for Hamas-Fatah reconciliation
The United States seems to continue the Bush Policy
US Will Not Tolerate Fatah-Hamas Reconciliation
Prior to his visit to Israel next week, US House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer has warned Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas against seeking a reconciliation with Hamas.
"Dealing with Hamas and being in any coalition with Hamas [without Hamas accepting international demands to stop terrorism and recognize Israel] would be something which we would look on with opposition and suspicion," Hoyer (D-Maryland) told The Jerusalem Post in a telephone interview Wednesday. He said such a government would be a "setback" and a "cause for concern."
Hoyer was responding to news yesterday that mediators from other Arab countries were attempting to effect a reunion between the two Palestinian groups.
US Will Not Tolerate Fatah-Hamas Reconciliation
So, the Arab countries and Egypt see the necessity of a Palestinian unity government, and are working towards that objective. The US and Israel seem to disagree. This puts us at odds with the regional powers, including Saudi. Saudi, in particular, feel burned by the US after the political capital expended on the Mecca Accords were veto'd by the United states.