The sources said PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas and Hamas political bureau
chief Khaled Masha'al have been briefed of the proposed reconciliation deal,
meant to be based on an Egyptian plan submitted in late 2009, Middle East Newsline reported. They said the
two sides have agreed in principle on most of the terms and were seeking to
finalize security details between Hamas and the PA.
A key source of disagreement has been the Rafah border terminal,
situated along the Egyptian-Gaza border. The sources also cited the
composition of a committee that would set elections in both the West Bank
and Gaza Strip. The Palestinian Authority, under Arab League pressure, has
already canceled municipal elections in the West Bank scheduled for July
2010.
"The most difficult issue is how the security services would be run,"
the source said. "Hamas does not want to give up control of the security
forces in the Gaza Strip."
Under the terms of the proposed agreement, the Arab League would oversee
implementation of the Fatah-Hamas partnership. The sources said Arab League
secretary-general Amr Mussa was briefed of the plan during his trip to the
Gaza Strip on June 13.
So far, Fatah and Hamas have formed a national dialogue committee
comprised of 15 people and led by Al Masri, including five members of the
Fatah Central Committee, three from the Executive Committee. Other members
were identified as Hamas's Nasser Din Al Shaher, Catholic Patriatch Cardinal
Michel Sabah, Anis Al Qasem, Hani Al Masri, a relative of Munib, and Mustafa
Al Barghuthi.
Egypt has blamed Hamas for rejecting the reconciliation plan, which
called for the dismantling of Palestinian militias. Egyptian Foreign
Minister Ahmed Abu Al Gheit said Cairo would not revise its draft, signed by
Fatah in October 2009.
"Such reports on the reconciliation process are inaccurate and do not
represent Egypt's position, which insists that the existing document must be
signed by Hamas as already done by Fatah," Al Gheit said. "Egypt has no
inclination nor is it ready to allow for any amendments to this document —
either in the form of direct changes or even as an appendix."
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