The Arab daily al-Hayat has reported that Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman met with Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal in Saudi Arabia this month. The reason for the meeting was an attempt to achieve reconciliation between the Palestinian factions.
Hamas and Fatah, the two main Palestinian parties, have been in conflict ever since Hamas won the 2006 legislative election. The conflict escalated when Hamas violently took control over the Gaza Strip from Fatah in 2007, and has continued since. Fatah continues to rule over Judea and Samaria, but clashes between the factions have occurred in both regions. All reconciliation talks have thus far been unsuccessful.
Hamas has so far rejected a pact proposed by Egypt to end the feuding with Fatah. While Fatah, which is ruled by PA President Mahmoud Abbas, signed the pact in October of 2009, Hamas refused and demanded guarantees that it would be recognized and that no embargo would be imposed on it should it win a future election.
A senior Egyptian source was quoted in al-Hayat as saying: “The deadlock over the reconciliation dossier does not benefit Hamas and will reflect negatively on it as the division (between factions) persists.” The source added that Gaza could “become a rebellious region” and that Egypt would be ready to host fresh reconciliation talks as soon as Hamas is ready to sign the pact.
According to the report, Suleiman spoke with Mashaal in Mecca during his official visit to Saudi Arabia, where he met King Abdullah to brief him on the first round of peace talks.
On Sunday it was reported that the PA seeks to achieve control over crossings between Gaza and the southern Negev. PA minister Hussein A-Sheikh told the Bethlehem-based Maan news service that he was confident that the Kerem Shalom crossing in southern Gaza would be transferred to PA control “within the coming weeks.” The PA will use its control to “open the door widely... our goal of ending the siege will be achieved,” he declared.
Hamas responded to A-Sheikh's statements and similar reports in the Israeli media by accusing the PA of attempting "a coup". A Hamas spokesman said that PA control of Gaza crossings would prove that the PA is working with Israel to regain control of the region, he accused.
As direct talks between Israel and the PA continue, the Hamas-Fatah split raises a question mark over the ability of Abbas to enforce any agreement reached with Israel. Hamas has refused to recognize any agreements signed between Israel and the PA.
It is as yet unknown how a possible Hamas-Fatah reconciliation could affect the talks.
