Fatah and Hamas to form caretaker cabinet ahead of polls

EGYPT YESTERDAY proclaimed a dramatic breakthrough in secret reconciliation talks between rival Palestinian Fatah and Hamas governments. They have agreed to form a unified caretaker cabinet and hold parliamentary and presidential elections within a year.

The breakthrough was made while delegations from both sides were attending ceremonies in Cairo honouring the late Palestinian president, Yasser Arafat.

“The consultations resulted in full understandings on all points under discussion,” said Egyptian intelligence, which brokered the deal.

It is significant that an accord was achieved after the fall of Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak, whose intelligence chief Omar Suleiman was accused of tilting towards Fatah during negotiations conducted for years without result.

Fatah also seems to have adopted a more flexible stand in recent months because Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas, its chief, has seen there is little prospect of serious talks with Israel aimed at bringing about the emergence of a Palestinian state.

Mr Abbas dispatched leading Fatah figures, including former foreign minister Nabil Shaath, to Gaza to bridge differences over certain points. But he hesitated to conclude an accord, fearing the loss of $470 million in financial support from the US, which – along with Europe – regards Hamas as a terrorist organisation and opposes reconciliation.

Nevertheless, an aide to Mr Abbas stated recently he would sacrifice US financial assistance if this was the price of unity. Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu responded by saying, “You can’t have peace with both Israel and Hamas. Choose peace with Israel.” Mr Abbas has chosen peace with Hamas.

During the Arab Spring of discontent, both Fatah and Hamas have come under strong popular pressure to sink their differences.

This has increased as Palestinian Authority preparations for the declaration of a Palestinian state in September have moved forward.

Mr Abbas could not take such an important step unless he could speak for Palestinians living in Gaza as well as those in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

Fatah fell out with Hamas after Hamas won a majority of seats in the Palestinian legislature in 2006. Saudi Arabia brought them together in a national unity government. But this collapsed in June 2007 when Hamas seized control of Gaza after a five-day battle with Fatah fighters.