PLO: Hamas must give up power in Gaza to begin dialogue with Fateh

Zakariyya Al-Agha, a member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, and head of the Fateh party's faction in the Gaza Strip, stated Thursday that a dialogue between the two major Palestinian parties, Hamas and Fateh, is impossible unless Hamas cedes control of the Gaza Strip.

Hamas rally in Gaza

Al-Agha blamed Hamas for the impasse in talks between the two factions, saying that Fateh has always been willing to talk.  This contradicts the actions on the ground by the Fateh party, which has banned Hamas rallies in the West bank and has brutally attacked such rallies when they occurred, in addition to arresting members of the Hamas party in the West bank.

 

Hamas, which holds power in Gaza after being democratically elected by the Palestinian people in January 2006 and finally taking power in June 2007, has not banned the Fateh party.  But al-Agha says the party's actions in arresting Fateh members and raiding Fateh offices amount to a de facto ban on the Fateh party in Gaza.

 

He accused Hamas for the violence that took place during a Fateh rally in Gaza in September, in which 200,000 Palestinians came out to commemorate the anniversary of the death of late President Yasser Arafat.  But the events of that day remain unclear, and Hamas blames Fateh for starting the violence, which resulted in eight dead and scores wounded.

 

Al-Agha added that only if Hamas backs down from what he called its 'military coup' in Gaza (although the party was in fact democratically elected), will dialogue be possible.  He challenged other Arab nations to propose an initiative that could break the impasse.