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After weeks of hard bargaining, Hamas and Fatah have finally succeeded
in forming a government of national unity. The government is based on a
broad coalition representing nearly all parliamentary blocs, with the
exception of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP).
There are two main goals the new government hopes to achieve. First, to
stabilize the still-fragile internal Palestinian front which in recent
months witnessed a bloody episode of infighting between Hamas and Fatah,
especially in the Gaza Strip, in which dozens of militiamen and
civilians were killed and injured.
The
violent clashes pushed the Palestinian society toward the brink of civil
war and seemed to have convinced the Palestinian political elites that
unless a respectable degree of national concordance was achieved, the
entire Palestinian national cause could suffer irreparable damage.
Second, the crippling American-led and Israeli-enforced sanctions pushed
the Palestinian people to the edge of starvation. Hence, it is hoped
that the new government, which includes faces that are acceptable to the
West, will convince the international community, especially the European
Union, that the time has come to seriously alleviate if not lift the
blockade.
The
policies of the new government are going to be a combination of Hamas’s
and Fatah’s views as encapsulated in the National Accord Document, which
itself was is on the so-called Prisoners’ Document.
On
the one hand, the government will commit itself to defending and
safeguarding the vital interests of the Palestinian people, including
the creation of a sovereign and viable Palestinian state on 100% of the
occupied territories, with Jerusalem as its capital.
The
government will also reiterate the legitimacy of the resistance to the
occupation as long as it persists.
In
fact, the platform of the government stipulates that “the government
confirms that resistance to the occupation is an inherent and legitimate
right and that halting the resistance depends first and foremost on the
disappearance of the occupation, liberation and realization of the
Palestinian refugees’ right to return to their homes.”
However, unlike the political programs of previous government, the new
government accords special attention to the issue of Palestinian
refugees who were uprooted from their homes in 1948.
“The
government holds fast to the rights of Palestinian refugees, and the
right of return of the refugees to their land and property.”
On
the other hand, the government will respect all outstanding agreements
between Israel and the PLO and express its willingness and readiness to
enter into serious and genuine peace talks with the Israeli government
in accordance with UN resolutions and the land-for-peace formula.
Hence, the new government must be hoping that its displayed moderation
will prompt much of the international community to sooner or later
terminate the crippling sanctions.
There are already encouraging sings in this regard. Prime Minister
Ismael Haniya said Thursday he received signals that the EU is ready to
work with the new government.
“No
doubt the European position is different. We are going to do our utmost
to lift the siege and maintain good relations with the international
community.”
Also
on Thursday, European diplomats said the EU was studying two options
with regard to aiding the new Palestinian government, either to funnel
funds to it through the finance ministry or though non-governmental
organizations.
“Another possibility being studied is broadening existing mechanism for
delivering purely humanitarian relief to include direct payments to the
Palestinian government," one European Diplomat was quoted as saying.
Meanwhile, the French Foreign Minister Philippi Balazi congratulated
Foreign Minister Ziad Abu Amr, saying in a telegram that France
supported the new Palestinian government.
The
French official said he hoped the new government would open a new page
in relations with the international community.
Similarly, the British Consul General in Jerusalem met with Abu Amr in
Gaza to congratulate him on his new job and also to urge the Palestinian
government to make utmost efforts to secure the release of a BBC
correspondent who was kidnapped in Gaza a few days ago.
Meanwhile, the Israeli government reacted negatively to the successful
consummation of the Palestinian government.
The
Israeli newspaper Ha’aretz quoted an official at the Prime Minister’s
Office’ as saying that the new government was “a step backward, not a
step forward.”
“Instead of recognizing Israel and renouncing terror, the emerging
Palestinian government has decided to spring backwards,” Ha’aretz quoted
David Baker, as saying.
“This is not what we were hoping for and it flies in the face of the
international community’s demands of the Palestinians. Once again, they
haven’t provided the goods.”
However, Observes believe the real reasons for Israeli rejection of the
new government have to do with its insistence on a “total” Israeli
withdrawal from the occupied territories and especially a just
settlement of the refugees’ plight in accordance with UN resolution 149.
Successive Israeli government always sought to create a quisling
Palestinian government in Ramallah that would compromise on these two
cardinal issues, in addition to the issue of Jerusalem .
Israel
is also worried that with Hamas still a senior partner in the
government, Fatah and other officials will display relatively
uncompromising stands vis-à-vis the final status issues in case serious
peace talks are resumed. |
