Hamas and Fatah at loggerheads again
Ramallah (AsiaNews/Agencies) – The agreement between Fatah and Hamas reached in Makkah has hit a snag. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas postponed a speech to the nation in which he was supposed to present the deal and announce the creation of the national unity government.
“The speech has been delayed to an as yet unfixed date,” Abbas’ spokesman Nabil Abu Rudeina said. “We respect the Makkah Declaration to the letter and reject any changes or new conditions. All parties are called upon to fully respect the agreement and avoid placing conditions on it,” he added.
The last point seems to refer to charges levelled by sources within the Palestinian presidency against Prime Minister Haniyeh over the confirmation of officials appointed by the current government and some nominations to the new government, in particular in the key Home Affairs Ministry.
Under the terms of the Makkah agreement, an independent should take over that portfolio—who controls the post controls thousands of security forces.
Hamas proposed two names, but Abbas wants a longer list.
Nimer Hamad, an Abbas aide, said Haniyeh yesterday presented a list of conditions for the resignation of his government. A formal resignation is part of the power-sharing deal that should led to the national unity government, which Haniyeh himself would head. Most problematic for Abbas is Hamas's demand that he approve the Executive Force, a 5,600-strong militia set up by Hamas.
There is also disagreement about how many of the five “independents” in the future government Fatah can pick. Hamas claims that its rival has already chosen all those it can; Fatah argues instead that it still has another one to pick.
Furthermore, next week’s US-sponsored summit between US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Palestinian President Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert might fail even before it begins.
Olmert's bureau chief Yoram Turbovich and his political advisor Shalom Turjeman met Monday with chief Palestinian negotiator Sa'eb Erekat and Abbas' chief of staff, Rafik al-Husseini, but were unable to resolve disputes that arose regarding the content of the summit.
The Palestinian representatives at the meeting reiterated their demand that the summit address permanent settlement issues, but the Israeli representatives said that was beyond their power to decide.
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