Is Egypt the key to a Hamas, Fatah reconciliation?
Although optimism prevails in Hamas and Fatah circles, many observers believe no reconciliation agreement can be expected without Egyptian sponsorship.
Since the Palestinian split in mid-2007, the Fatah and Hamas movements have held several rounds of negotiations for reconciliation. A number of agreements have been signed in the capitals of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Qatar without being implemented on the ground.
A new round of talks kicked off in Doha, the capital of Qatar, on March 26-27 between a Hamas delegation led by Mousa Abu Marzouk, a member of Hamas’ political bureau, and Fatah, whose delegation was chaired by Azzam al-Ahmad, a member of Fatah’s Central Committee. The talks centered on how to implement the reconciliation agreement signed in the Beach refugee camp in Gaza in April 2014.
Salah Bardawil, a Hamas leader, spokesman and member of its Legislative Council, told Al-Monitor, “The meeting between Fatah and Hamas’ delegations went well, in a positive atmosphere. The issue of Gaza’s state employees and their full integration into the Palestinian Authority's staff got the largest share of discussion. Hamas mainly demanded that the issuance of a presidential decree to form a new government coincide with another decree calling for the convening of a new session of the Palestinian Legislative Council, six weeks following the signing of the reconciliation agreement.”
The current round of talks between Fatah and Hamas took place after a Hamas delegation visited Egypt March 12-18 to discuss Hamas-Egyptian ties and the latest developments on the reconciliation with Fatah.
