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.
