Hamas irons out dispute over Palestinian unity
Mohammed Daraghmeh, AP, Feb 22 2012
The leadership of Hamas on Wednesday settled internal disagreements and approved a unity deal with Palestinian Pres Abbas, a senior official said. Hamas’ politburo met in Cairo and signed off on the deal after more than 12 hours of talks over two days, said Izzat al-Rishq, an aide to Hamas chief Khaled Mashaal. An agreement signed in Doha between Mashaal and Abbas on Feb 6 envisions Abbas heading an interim unity government ahead of general elections in the Palestinian territories. Hamas leaders in Gaza objected to relinquishing power to Abbas. While the deal might still face opposition from the Hamas rank-and-file, Rishq suggested that the movement’s leaders are now on board. He said:
The meeting decided to fully implement the reconciliation agreement and the Doha declaration. It puts an end to the debate and discussions over Hamas’ position concerning the Doha agreement and puts an end to what seemed to be disagreement within Hamas.
Abbas and Mashaal met later Wednesday in Cairo to discuss the next steps in the deal, including the formation of an interim government. Such a composition is meant to lower the profile of Hamas. A Hamas-run TV station in Gaza quoted Mashaal as saying the meeting was positive and that he and Abbas are moving in the right direction for the good of the Palestinians. By forming an alliance with Hamas, Abbas risks losing hundreds of millions of dollars in international aid, though Palestinian officials hope that signals of moderation from Hamas will make the new government acceptable to the West. Reconciliation was made possible, in part, by a narrowing of the ideological rift between the two sides. Mashaal, although not formally renouncing violence, has embraced the idea of “popular protests” against Israeli occupation as a gesture to Abbas. And while Hamas has long opposed Abbas’ talks with Israel on the terms of a Palestinian state, Abbas now seems to have given up hope he can reach a deal with the Israeli government. Al-Rishq noted the venue for the meeting of the 15-member politburo was Cairo. He said the choice of the Egyptian capital was a sign of the changes in the region. The Hamas leadership had long been based in Syria, and retains a presence in Syria, but some of its leaders have relocated, while others have been making more frequent visits to Arab capitals. While Syria’s regional isolation increases, that of Hamas has lessened with the political rise of its parent movement, the Muslim Brotherhood. This has made Hamas less dependent on Iran and Syria.
