AMMAN
—
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is taking steps towards fostering
unity among Palestinian factions by inviting all leaders to a crucial meeting
in Cairo, Egypt. According to Azzam Al Ahmad, a member of the
Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), Abbas aims to create a unity government that
includes Hamas and
Palestinian Islamic Jihad, among others.
اضافة اعلان
The goal of the meeting, made public on Friday, is to bring
together all Palestinian factions to engage in discussions and form a united
front. However, it's worth noting that the
Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine
and the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, have also been called
upon to join the meeting, Jerusalem Post reported. These factions, alongside Hamas and Islamic
Jihad, have been vocal opponents of the
Oslo Accords which established the PA
in 1994.
Egypt shows willingness to mediate
Despite the differences in views, Palestinian sources reveal that
Egypt has shown willingness to host the meeting and mediate between the
factions.
Palestinian Deputy Prime Minister Ziad Abu Amr previously confirmed
Egypt's approval, emphasizing that the gathering aims to forge a comprehensive
national vision and unite all Palestinian ranks.
Ongoing tensions
The meeting is scheduled for the end of July, but there are some
concerns about the attendance of
Hamas officials due to ongoing tensions
between them, Islamic Jihad, and Fatah. These tensions have been highlighted by
the division and split between the factions since 2007.
The first
Palestinian unity government, formed in 2007, was headed
by Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, who was removed from his position by Mahmoud
Abbas in June of the same year. A month later, Hamas staged a coup against the
PA and seized control of the entire Gaza Strip.
In 2014, another unity government called the National Consensus
Government, was established after the ruling Fatah faction and Hamas reached a
reconciliation agreement to end their rivalry. The government remained in power
until 2019, when former
PA Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah was replaced with
Mohammad Shtayyeh.
Another point of tension is the many arrests of Palestinians
conducted by PA. Hamas and Islamic Jihad have long accused the PA security
forces of arresting its members. Both groups maintain that unless this
situation changes, attendance in Cairo remains uncertain. Reports indicate that
at least 53 Palestinians are currently in custody because of their political
affiliation, as reported by various media sources.
Jenin
Adding further complexity, the recent
Israeli raid on Jenin and the
Jenin Camp has stirred tensions. The Palestinian Authority is cautious about
not allowing Islamic Jihad and Hamas to gain further support in the region.
This led
President Abbas to personally visit Jenin last week, even after an
official he had sent was driven away following the
Israeli soldiers'
destructive raid on the camp.
In calling for this crucial meeting, Abbas is
once again extending an olive branch to
Palestinian factions in a renewed
effort to achieve unity and address the challenges they face collectively.
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