Is PA on road to reconciliation with Egypt?
Relations between the Palestinian Authority and Egypt have been strained lately, but some are denying the seriousness of this fallout.
GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — After a monthslong chill in relations, Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas seems ready to try to mend ties with Egypt.
Tensions arose after Abbas refused to cooperate in September with an initiative led by the Arab Quartet (Saudi Arabia, Egypt, United Arab Emirates and Jordan) to heal Fatah's internal split over enmity between Fatah Chairman Abbas and dismissed Fatah leader Mohammed Dahlan. The quartet believes mending that rift would then allow for a reconciliation between Fatah and rival party Hamas.
The strain between Egypt and Abbas worsened Dec. 22 when Egypt withdrew its UN Security Council draft resolution condemning Israeli settlement construction. On Dec. 23, the same draft was submitted to the Security Council by New Zealand, Malaysia, Venezuela and Senegal, and was approved 14-0, with the United States abstaining.
But Abbas sent PLO Executive Committee Secretary Saeb Erekat on a surprise visit to Cairo, where he met Dec. 31 with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry.
