Israel prevents Abbas from entering Gaza 3 days before signing of Palestinian reconciliation agreement

May 1, 2011 by occupiedpalestine

His political advisor confirms Abbas is to go to Gaza before month’s end, but Israel puts a wrench, blocking Fatah’s envoy from crossing into Gaza three days before the reconciliation agreement is to be signed in Egypt

Saleh Naami , Sunday 1 May 2011 | Ahram Online

Abbas’s personal envoy for national reconciliation has been prevented from entering Gaza strip from Ramallah Sunday morning through the Erez crossing. This is, in fact, a second for Mohamed Abou Tir, Abbas’s envoy.

As an alternative, Abou Tir is considering entering through the Rafah crossing on the Egyptian Gaza border.

Abou Tir’s visit was expected to precede the signing of the national reconciliation agreement to be signed in Egypt on Wednesday 4 May to put the Palestinian house in order.

Meanwhile, Palestinian presidential political advisor, Nemr Hamad, confirmed Abbas’s intention to go on with his planned visit to the Strip before the end of this month.

Abbas is expected to discuss all problems related to the formation of the new Palestinian government during his visit, as well as means to protect and resolve any blocks that might emerge for the agreement, Palestinian news agency, Qudsnet stated.

Interestingly, Saeb Erekat, a member of the executive committee of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation declared that the PLO is undergoing contacts with world powers to ensure international support and legalities needed for the new government to be formed as the agreement states.

On the other hand, in an interview with Voice of Palestine, Erekat reiterated the US approval of the agreement between the two rival Palestinian factions, Fatah and Hamas, “our contacts with the Americans are going smoothly and we have to prove to the whole world that the national reconciliation deal is a focal point for the Palestinian cause. It is too early to talks of fears or scepticism.”

River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian

Bahar warns Abbas against submission to US, Israeli threats to thwart unity - Haneyya: Government ready for unity deal

Bahar warns Abbas against submission to US, Israeli threats to thwart unity

[ 30/04/2011 - 03:44 PM ]

GAZA, (PIC)-- Deputy speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) Dr. Ahmed Bahar has called on Palestinian Authority chief Mahmoud Abbas and Fatah to ignore US-Israeli threats aimed at thwarting reconciliation with Hamas.

Israel and the Obama administration have threatened to discontinue aid to the PA if it follows through in a historic unity government deal with longtime rival Hamas that governs the Gaza Strip.

Bahar emphasized the need to counter the warnings through continued internal unification.

Israel and the United States administration wish to perpetuate the Palestinian split for ”black agendas and malicious objectives”, Bahar said.

He called on Arabs to give political and moral support for Palestinian unity and to cover the material needs of the Palestinians in order thwart the Israeli-US strategy aimed at hampering reconciliation efforts.

Separately, during the same press statement issued Saturday, Bahar highly commended Egypt's decision to permanently open the Rafah border crossing to the Gaza Strip within the next few days.

He stressed that the decision is a genuine contribution and practical step in breaking the siege on the Gaza Strip.

Egypt's new policy has reflected in its best on the Palestinian cause through the hosting of internal reconciliation, Bahar said. Now it plays a natural, avant-garde role by easing the suffering of the Gazan people by opening the Fatah crossing.

Egypt has made a strong comeback to once again lead the Arab world and crystalize a new stage in pride and dignity, far from dependence and submission to Israeli and western positions which drowned the former regime, Bahar went on to say.

Haneyya: Government ready for unity deal

[ 30/04/2011 - 10:30 AM ]

GAZA, (PIC)-- Prime Minister of the Palestinian government in Gaza, Ismail Haneyya, has confirmed his government is willing to give dues based on the national reconciliation deal between Fatah and Hamas.
”[The government] has overcome obstacles and encouraged and opened the door widely before this national moment on more than one level,” Haneyya said after meeting Friday night with the Hamas delegation that took part in talks in Cairo on Wednesday.
Haneyya pointed out that understandings were reached on pending issues, opening the door for the signing of the reconciliation agreement.
The premier congratulated the Palestinians over the unity deal and expressed gratitude to Egypt which brokered the talks.
”[Egypt] served at this stage as a basic lever to create desired penetration, which came as a culmination of Palestinian and Arab efforts exerted in that regard,” he said.
He added that the deal reflected the strategy of the government in Gaza and Hamas which manifested itself in many stations over the years of dispute.
He said he believed in the paramount importance of national unity especially at this stage in order to preserve and defend Jerusalem and the Palestinian cause.
Haneyya said he is aware that the deal does not please enemy forces and that they will try to place obstacles in front of it, requiring concerted efforts to counter attempts to curb the people's will for national unity and harmony.
The prime minister expressed hope that the rest of the Palestinian factions would co-sign the deal and that a national consensus would be achieved.

• Hezbollah Hails Palestinian Reconciliation
• Resistance factions desire to co-sign reconciliation deal
• Khudari urges international community to support reconciliation
• Barak to Ban: Hamas Must Recognize Israel!

River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian

Hamas rejects Abbas's statement on Egypt

[ 26/04/2011 - 03:26 PM ] 

GAZA, (PIC)-- Hamas declared rejection of statements by de facto Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas in which he defended the defunct regime of Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak.

Dr. Sami Abu Zuhri, a Hamas spokesman, said in a press release on Tuesday that Abbas's statement in which he said that he warned the American administration against the consequences of the downfall of Mubarak regime revealed his enmity to the Egyptian people's revolution and his defense of the corrupt regimes even after their downfall.

He said that such statements posed as flagrant interference in the internal affairs of an Arab country that is supportive of the Palestine cause.

The spokesman affirmed his movement's backing to the Egyptian people's revolution and rejection of Abbas's statements, considering that his position only reflected his own stand and not that of the Palestinian people.

River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian

Washington's 'Eleventh' commandment: "Never, ever pressure Israel!"

Via FLC

"We’re somewhere over the Mediterranean, and Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president, is trying to get inside the head of Barack Obama. “We knew him before he became president,” he’s saying, struggling to understand what happened to the man who had seemed more sympathetic to the Palestinian cause than any of his predecessors. “We knew him and he was very receptive.” ...  

A week earlier, he told me bluntly that Obama had led him on, and then let him down by failing to keep pressure on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for a moratorium on settlement building in the West Bank last year. “It was Obama who suggested a full settlement freeze,” Abbas explained. “I said OK, I accept. We both went up the tree. After that, he came down with a ladder and he removed the ladder and said to me, jump. Three times he did it.” Abbas also criticized the mediation efforts of Obama’s special envoy, George Mitchell, who has shuttled between Israelis and Palestinians for more than two years. “Every visit by Mitchell, we talked to him and gave him some ideas. At the end we discovered that he didn’t convey any of these ideas to the Israelis. What does it mean?”

Now, on the flight from Tunis to Paris, I wanted to know how long Abbas could wait. The next 18 months are probably dead time in Israeli-Palestinian diplomacy as Obama focuses on his reelection campaign. No candidate for president wants to risk alienating Israel’s supporters by pressing the peace question. But a second-term president can be bolder.... But Abbas, who has worked every angle for Palestinian statehood for 50 years, the last six as president, says he’s nearly out of time. “I cannot wait. Somebody will wait instead of me,” he tells me. “And I will not stay more.” (continue, here)

Posted by G, M, Z, or B at 8:40 PM

River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian

Hamdan: Abbas hampering reconciliation efforts

[ 24/04/2011 - 09:47 AM ]

BEIRUT, (PIC)-- Osama Hamdan, in charge of international relations in Hamas, said that his movement was interested in restoring Palestinian national unity and that it welcomed bids toward that end by a number of countries.

He said in a press statement on Sunday that no one could blame Hamas after premier Ismail Haneyya invited de facto Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas to visit Gaza and engage in direct and comprehensive dialog.

Hamdan charged Abbas with foiling the reconciliation efforts, noting that he bypassed Haneyya's invite and launched his own initiative declaring readiness to visit Gaza and form a government of technocrats that would set a date for general elections.

Abbas clearly announced that he rejects dialog, which uncovers who is really obstructing dialog toward national reconciliation, Hamdan pointed out.

River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian

Insider: The Shin Bet chooses all PA security trainees

[ 23/04/2011 - 02:25 PM ]

RAMALLAH, (PIC)-- An insider of the de facto interior ministry in Ramallah city said the Shin Bet interferes in choosing the Palestinian trainees to be given training in the security or military field at home and abroad.

The source told the Palestinian information center (PIC) on condition of anonymity that the selection of participants in any security and military training courses requires that the Palestinian Authority (PA) send a list of their names to the US military envoy who checks it along with the Israeli side before making a new list approved by the Shin Bet.

This is not confined to the training courses provided by the CIA, but it includes all kinds of training which the PA police and security members receive in Arab and Islamic countries, the source added.

"Even those who are assigned training courses in Egypt, Jordan, Yemen, Tunisia, and Algeria and other countries are subject to this Israeli security check through the American side," he affirmed.

He noted that the Israeli criteria in this context are clear that the trainees should not have directly or indirectly any kind of links to resistance activities against Israel or related to resistance fighters.

In a separate incident, the PA security militias kidnapped an ex-detainee called Mohsen Shareem from Qalqiliya city after releasing him from their jails.

Shareem suffers from diabetes and hypertension and was released by a court order due to his deteriorating medical condition.

• Palestinian man arrested in Al-Khalil Saturday morning
• Palestinian prisoners suffer amid medical neglect

River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian

Qabaha urges Abbas to release Natsheh from jail

[ 22/04/2011 - 01:59 PM ]

RAMALLAH, (PIC)-- Former minister of the prisoners and ex-prisoners Wasfi Qabaha has urged Thursday Fatah leader Mahmoud Abbas to immediately release Palestinian businessman Nabil Al-Natsheh from PA jails.

According to Qabaha, the persistent detention of Palestinian leaders and prominent figures in the Palestinian community in PA jails contradicts the allegations of Fatah Movement of being keen on ending the Palestinian internal rift, stressing that Natsheh has an honorable record in serving the Palestinian people.

"Indeed, I expected that Abbas would order the release of all Palestinian political prisoners incarcerated in his jails across the West Bank on the Palestinian Prisoner Day, but sad to say it didn’t happen," Qabaha said in a statement he issued on Thursday.

He said that he passed a message of appeal through Palestinian prominent figure and businessman Munib Al-Masri on two occasion urging him to release Natsheh and other Muslim figures in Al-Khalil city, including Nedal Al-Qawasmi, Anas Rasras, Bilal Al-Muhtaseb, Zain Shabaneh, Anwar Haerb, Mohammed Al-Kharoof and others but to no avail.

Natsheh, according to Qabaha, suffers of neck cancer and that his health was badly deteriorating while in solitary confinement where he lives in extremely harsh conditions, underlining that the bad treatment and humiliation he received at the hands of the PA security forces couldn’t be grasped and imagined by the Palestinian people.

"The fact that the detention of Natsheh persisted despite all those appeals and in spite of his clean record indicates that there was indeed a group that doesn’t want to achieve the Palestinian national reconciliation.

In this regard, Qabaha called for the establishment of a wide and comprehensive national campaign to pressure the PA in Ramallah into releasing all political prisoners from jail, stressing that "chivalry and the principle of supporting the oppressed call on us to do so. "We can't accept the humiliation of the symbols of the Palestinian people at any cost," he stressed.

For their part, families of the kidnapped Palestinian citizens in Abbas’s jails didn’t buy the allegations of Fatah that it was striving hard to end the Palestinian internal rift, underscoring that he who indeed want to achieve national reconciliation shouldn’t arrest and torture his fellow Palestinians just because they oppose him politically.

Palestinian legislator MP Mohammed Abu Juhaisha, for his part, condemned the detention of Natsheh, stressing that Natsheh should be honored not denigrated, calling on high-profile and family leaders in Al-Khalil city to join hands in pressuring the PA into freeing him immediately and unconditionally.

Natsheh, who spent years in Israeli occupation jails and was among the 415 Palestinian leaders deported by the Israeli occupation authorities to south Lebanon in 1992, was kidnapped on December 7, 2010 at the hands of elements of the infamous preventive security apparatus in Al-Khalil city. No charges were tabled against him till now.

• Lawyer Essawi freed along with her two brothers from Israeli jails
• Palestinian captive placed into solitary because he asked to be treated as a POW

River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian

Third intifada website bypasses Facebook closure - Abbas: I won't allow a new intifada

Abbas: I won't allow a new intifada

[ 20/04/2011 - 03:26 PM ]

TUNIS, (PIC)-- De facto Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas said that he would not allow the outbreak of a new intifada (uprising) against Israeli occupation.

Abbas, speaking to Tunisian journalists on Wednesday during his current visit to Tunisia, said that as long as he remained president of the Palestinian Authority he would not allow the eruption of a new intifada.

"I won't allow any security or military flare-up in the West Bank or any other Palestinian area," he said, adding that he wants to preserve the life of the Palestinians. "Those who speak about resistance or armed intifada let them do that away from the Palestinian people," he said.

Abbas also said that the PA was interested in resuming serious negotiations with Israel over "key issues".

Third intifada website bypasses Facebook closure

[ 20/04/2011 - 02:13 PM ]

WASHINGTON, (PIC)-- Palestinian youths in the United States have launched a website similar to Facebook to support calls for a third intifada (uprising) against Israel on May 15 timed to commemorate the Palestinian Nakba.

The organizers said the site, dubbed Al-Quds Moon, was launched to support the ”struggle of the Palestinians to restore their full legitimate rights as stipulated by United Nations resolutions”.

They confirmed the site does not follow the agendas of any political parties, but only the Palestinians in the occupied territories, according to the introduction page.

They added that the site is not subject to the control as was the case for a popular similar websites hosted by Facebook; and it cannot be blocked by U.S. authorities because it supports a peaceful uprising.

The organizers also clarified that the page is not a substitute for the multiple Facebook pages serving the same cause. ”It is complementary to these efforts,” they said, ”and it could serve as a substitute if the Facebook administration shuts the pages down.”

The site has many of the same features as Facebook and allows members to create groups, upload photos and post videos as well as to write blogs and chat using voice and image.

River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian

Family committee of W. Bank detainees holds Abbas responsible for life of Natsha

[ 20/04/2011 - 09:55 AM ]

Al-KHALIL, (PIC)-- The family committee of West Bank prisoners held de facto president Mahmoud Abbas and Al-Khalil governor Kamel Khalil fully responsible for the life of senior Hamas official Nabil Al-Natsha who suffers from cancer in the neck.

Natsha is one of the most prominent national figures in Al-Khalil city and one of Marj Azzuhour exiles.

The committee affirmed that Natsha is locked up in a solitary cell and in dire need for ongoing medical care because of his cancer disease.

It said that the Palestinian Authority's preventive security postponed his military trial until next month after it delayed it many times before.

In another context, the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) and the PA militias summon Palestinian young men for interrogation on a daily basis.

Mohamed Abdulrahman from Ramallah said the Israeli intelligence summoned him one day before the PA militias detained him and asked him about the questions the Israeli officer asked him during the interrogation.

He added that he saw many young men outside the office of the Israeli intelligence officer and one day later he also saw many others waiting for their turn to be interrogated outside the PA intelligence office.

Human rights organizations document dozens of summonses issued daily and alternately by both the IOF and the PA militias against Palestinian citizens in the occupied Palestinian lands. Some of the summoned citizens are detained after interrogation and some others are blackmailed and pressured before their release.

In another incident, different local sources on Wednesday reported that the PA militias kidnapped four Palestinian citizens thought to be affiliated with Hamas Movement in Al-Khalil, Nablus, and Ramallah cities.

River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian

Bardawil: Abbas's decision to halt smear campaign against Hamas is useless

[ 16/04/2011 - 02:02 PM ]

GAZA, (PIC)-- Senior Hamas official Salah Al-Bardawil belittled the importance of Mahmoud Abbas's declared intention to stop the media smear campaign against Hamas Movement so as to create a climate for national reconciliation.

Bardawil said that Abbas' orders to stop the smear campaign is a media stunt because his focus of interest is not to end the inter-Palestinian division but to keep the security cooperation and the peace talks with Israel.

He underlined that Abbas was not honest about his intentions towards Hamas and his talk about halting media incitement against it is useless because his political arrest campaign in the West Bank never stopped against its cadres for a moment.

A spokesman for Fatah faction had said that Abbas issued orders to stop all media campaigns against Hamas.

In a related context, director of the Palestinian center of studies in Cairo Ibraheem Adderawi disclosed that Abbas's recent visit to Cairo was intended to curtail any Egyptian response with Hamas's demands regarding the Palestinian reconciliation and to read Egypt's new political landscape after the revolution.

Derawi added that Abbas stressed during his meeting with Egyptian officials the need for continuing to close Rafah border crossing (in order to help Israel tighten the blockade on Gaza) and not to recognize Hamas until it accepts the Palestinian reconciliation according to Fatah's vision.

He expressed his belief that this position explains why head of Fatah's parliamentary bloc Azzam Al-Ahmed avoided meeting with Hamas official Mahmoud Al-Zahhar while in Cairo and Abbas with political leader Khaled Mishaal.

"I have information that Mahmoud Abbas has issued a circular to his authority's embassies all over the world in which he confirmed that Egypt's stance towards the Palestinian issue had not changed and that Cairo would not deal with Hamas or recognize it, so Abbas's visit to Cairo was not for a reconciliation with Hamas, but it was to curb Egypt's sympathy with it and to read the Egyptian political scene following the downfall of president Hosni Mubarak," the center director emphasized.

River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian

PA prisoners' families call for their release

[ 13/04/2011 - 04:01 PM ]

RAMALLAH, (PIC)-- With Palestinian Prisoner Day coming next Sunday, the families of Palestinians held by the Palestinian Authority security agencies in the West Bank have renewed calls for the freedom of their relatives and to turn the pages of the past.

The PA currently holds more than 500 of such men in its prisons as the de facto PA chief Mahmoud Abbas has made fresh calls for a unity government with Hamas.

"Prisoner Day calls for us to turn the pages of the past and open a new page of brotherly ties and to pave the way for reconciliation and an end to the split by releasing those who have been abducted and held as political prisoners," said Mohammed Natshe, whose brother from Al-Khalil is currently held by the PA.

”It is irrational that Prisoner Day events are held and that the day gets special mention in West Bank schools without mentioning the suffering of more than 500 prisoners in the PA who are held on the same charges as the more than 6,000 male and 40 female prisoners in the Israeli prisons,” he said.

Separately, a Palestinian youth movement to end the Palestinian political split has condemned the PA security agencies after they destroyed a sit-in tent the movement set up in the West Bank city of Salfit. The militia men also summoned the activists to conduct investigations.

According to a statement released by the youth movement, the militia men engaged in a number of actions that clearly displayed ”tyranny and suppression of freedoms”. The PA intelligence service also summoned some of those activists for questioning.

River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian

Abu Marzouk denies meeting between Zahhar and Abbas

[ 13/04/2011 - 02:28 PM ]

DAMASCUS, (PIC)-- Dr. Mousa Abu Marzouk, deputy political bureau chairman of Hamas, has denied news reports that Mahmoud Zahhar, political bureau member of Hamas, had met with Mahmoud Abbas, de facto Palestinian president and Fatah leader, in Cairo.

Asked by the PIC on the report, Abu Marzouk categorically denied that the meeting had ever taken place a few days ago as alleged in the news report.

Palestinian websites claimed that a secret meeting was held between Abbas and Zahhar to discuss national reconciliation and that progress was made during the talks.

Abu Marzouk had earlier told the PIC in an interview on Tuesday that Hamas could not forge reconciliation or go to elections while it is persecuted in the West Bank and its cadres are being harassed.

He urged Abbas to furnish the suitable atmosphere for reconciliation.

River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian

Nunu: Israel failed to achieve goals behind aggression

[ 13/04/2011 - 07:28 AM ]

CAIRO, (PIC)-- Taher al-Nunu, spokesman for the Palestinian Government in Gaza, has said that Israel's recent aggression was aimed at foiling Hamas's efforts to reconcile with rival Fatah and at measuring the response from Egypt and the Arabs as the situation in the region unfolds.

”[Israel] was eager to single out Gaza in light of the region being preoccupied with operations for liberation from regimes and with successive popular revolutions,” Nunu told the Palestinian Information Center.

He pointed out that, as the Israeli aggression came to its conclusion, Israel failed to achieve its objectives, and the Palestinians earned a stronger sense of unity and rallying around the resistance program, and the Arabs became more aware of Israel's schemes.

”The raising of the Palestinian flag in Tahrir Square in front of the Israeli embassy in Cairo was a key reason why the aggression on the Gaza Strip stopped, after it became clear to the Israeli administration that Egypt, its leadership and people, reject any Israeli aggression on Gaza.”

Nunu emphasized the role played by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry in curbing the attacks, as well as the decision made by the Arab League asking the UN Security Council for a no-fly zone over Gaza.

Concerning national reconciliation, Nunu said Prime Minister Ismail Haneyya's initiative to meet with Abbas is still in effect. He said that the government in Gaza is not against Abbas visiting the Strip, but he said, ”the visit must be preceded by arrangements in order to be successful”.

He went on to say that the government has called for talks with Fatah based on a deadline before Abbas's visit to Gaza.

He added that talks will start from where they left off, saying that issues concerning the Palestine Liberation Organization and the government's political program are the two main topics that must be resolved during talks.

He emphasized that Haneyya has exerted major efforts towards Palestinian reconciliation, and pointed out that the chances for achieving reconciliation are more now than ever before.

”Mahmoud Abbas has no choice but to reconcile and adhere to the will of the Palestinians to end the split. And we hope that this is his choice,” Nunu said.

In case you missed it,

Pharaoh will deliver a domesticated Hamas. thus preyed the "Palestinian" Ziondit.

Is Hamas About to be Fooled, Again, by the Pharaoh? I am Almost Certain, the Answer is Yes!Let me explain it to you

Mr. politburo chief: Iran has clout and is a regional power, so Obama has to deal with it. Also, Iran (under the right conditions) has been beneficial to the Empire, as in Iraq and Afghanistan, so Obama is trying to put the ayatollahs to good use. Syria has some influence (especially in Lebanon) and Obama is trying to divide and conquer, by moving Syria away from Iran. But Hamas, Mr. politburo chief, regardless of how much "moderation" it shows, and how much begging it does, has no clout, and is safely caged in the Gaza concentration camp while Dayton destroys any presence it has left in the West Bank. By removing Iran and Syria from the equation, Hamas will be cut off and the plan is to destroy it or at least domesticate it, just as Arafat was domesticated and finally destroyed. You got that now, Mr. politburo chief?

After more than three years,

"Cairo is planning to receive Khaled Meshal, head of Hamas's Damascus-based political bureau.
Meshal last departed Cairo more than a year ago, saying that neither he nor any other Hamas official would return to Egypt as long as Mubarak held the reins of power"

• Hamas is still there to stay, where is Mubarak NOW??
• Shalit is still there in Gaza, until Hamas conditions are met.
• Mahmoud Abbas has no choice but to reconcile and adhere to the will of the Palestinians to end the split. In other words, the dialogue will  deliver a domesticated Abbas
• The Zionist asshole joined the counter revolution of Zionist Farid Al-Ghadri, Khaddam, Rifaat Assad,  and Zionist Brotherhood, against corner stone of resistance axis. 

River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian

Abu Marzouk: Hamas vision for reconciliation contradicts Abbas initiative

[ 12/04/2011 - 06:11 PM ]

DAMASCUS, (PIC)-- Deputy chief of the Hamas political bureau Moussa Abu Marzouk has confirmed that contacts are being made with Fatah chief Mahmoud Abbas to end the current Palestinian political split, but he said that the persecution of Hamas elements in the West Bank must be curbed before reconciliation can be realized.

”Until now there is no final understanding concerning the proposed topic or venue for the open meeting,” he told the PIC. ”I believe this issue will be resolved soon,” he added, but he said that all that was raised that reconciliation will be brokered or unbrokered recently in the media is either based on incomplete information or is not true.

Hamas vision to end split

”Abu Mazen (Abbas) has contacted many states, such as Syria, Turkey, Egypt and others in order to promote his initiative, which has raised a lot of talk in the media about the subject,” Abu Marzouk said concerning Hamas's stance on the Abbas's initiative.

”Abu Mazen has launched an initiative, and we have had reservations on it, because it is based on one point, which is to form a Palestinian government with two principle tasks: elections and reconstruction, while Hamas's vision is based on all of the topics that need to be discussed to end the split on solid foundations and so past experiences do not recur, specifically the Makkah agreement experience.”

When discussing Hamas's position on Abbas's desire to visit the Strip, Abu Marzouk said: ”We wanted the visit to be in the light of reconciliation, not in the light of division. Which means that when we have done away with the split and then the visit comes, we would defended our people and ourselves from all of the negative aspects that would have risen if the visit was in the light of and internal interactions. The idea was to resolve pending issues and end the split, and then Abbas would decide how and when to go to the Gaza Strip. And we will undoubtedly welcome this visit.”

Egyptian sponsorship and Turkish role

In response to media rumors that Egypt will broker the next rounds of reconciliation talks, Abu Marzouk said that Cairo at present ”does not want to directly sponsor the dialogue, but it has not objected to coming to both parties after split is ended to celebrate. Egypt wants to welcome the conclusions and not the actions and dialogues between the parties.”

He went on to say that the Egypt's stance on Palestinian issues as a whole has made major turns for the better. He believed Palestinian issues would take priority in Egyptian foreign issues for the interest of the Palestinians.

”Turkey has its presence in regional issues, especially the Palestinian issue. We welcome this activity, because we believe Turkey has served the Palestinians greatly and has stood for Palestinian rights, and it is one of the most prominet states that stood by [Hamas] directly after the elections and defended its right to rule after election,” the senior Hamas official said about Turkey's recent movement in the issue of Palestinian reconciliation, a movement he called ”active”.

”We met with Turkish Foreign Minister Davutoglu in Damascus, and he will also meet with Abu Mazen. He met with the Egyptian Foreign Minister which wants to participate with Turkey in reconciliation efforts.”

Hamas men detained in West Bank

When asked if Hamas's visions have changed concerning the political prisoners in the West Bank, Abu Marzouk said: ”All issues must be kept open in the dialogues because they are interrelated. We are not able to go to elections or reconciliation while Hamas is banned in the West Bank and its elements are persecuted or in prisons and its institutions are closed.”

”The climate must be created for reconciliation in the West Bank. I'm not only talking about the West Bank. What applies in the West Bank also applies in the Gaza Strip. But everyone knows that the security persecution in the West Bank is a lot worse than what has happened in Gaza. Fatah now enjoys great freedom in the Strip regarding its organizations and movements, and internal elections have been held there.”

River to Sea Uprooted Palestinian