Egypt presents a new plan to end internal Palestinian divisions

Saturday September 13, 2008 00:20 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

Recent reports coming from Palestinian delegates who participated in talks in Egypt indicated some progress which could bring an end to the internal divisions among the Palestinians and achieve a comprehensive reconciliation.

Egypt prepared a plan based on responses presented by several Palestinian factions that participated in internal dialogue in Egypt several weeks ago.

Sources suggest that Egypt is interested in an internal Palestinian dialogue that is positive and comprehensive, and wants to give the Palestinian factions sufficient time to hold dialogue in order to avoid rushing into a deal which would not last.

The London-based Al Hayat Arabic Newspaper reported on Friday that Egypt’s vision is considered “a new road map plan” which is focused on resolving the internal Palestinian conflict and placing the needed mechanism to achieve this goal.

Fateh and Hamas leaders will be holding separate talks with Egyptian officials after the Eid Al-Fitr which marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan.

This new three point plan is reported to reflect Egypt’s interest in ending the internal Palestinian division, a division that is widely recognized to be in Israel's interests.

Egyptian officials said that Israel is acting to grow internal Palestinian divisions and has benefited from the weakness of US president George W. Bush whose administration will leave office soon.

These officials claim that there is no chance for a peace deal as long as Hamas is controlling the Gaza Strip and the Palestinians are still divided by the Hamas-Fateh conflict.

One of the challenging issues is that the Quartet, the USA and Israel all do not want Hamas in power and have maintained a crippling siege on Gaza since Hamas was elected. 

Al Hayat newspaper reported that the Egyptian Road Map Plan wants to achieve four points:

First; forming a transitional Palestinian government of technocrats which would be able to prepare for new legislative and presidential elections and will also be able to maintain security.  

Second; achieving a national Palestinian covenant which will include ending the Israeli occupation to the Palestinian territories occupied in 1967, resolving the issue of Palestinian refugees, and ending the internal Palestinian tension. Hamas and Fateh should be part of this covenant.

Third; Abbas and the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), will be authorized to hold peace talks based on the national covenant although all parties do not believe that a peace deal will be achieved soon with Israel.

Fourth; building professional Palestinian security devices and having Arab capacities available on demand either by direct intervention, getting help from security devices or receiving direct finical aid.

Hamas might not agree to an independent technocrat government since it did win a victory in the legislative elections and has previously rejectd any deployment of Arab forces in the Gaza Strip.  Its leadership also does not trust Abbas in rebuilding the PLO and implementing the Cairo deal of 2005.    

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