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World Jewish News
Hamas and Fatah agree to hold elections in late January 2010
16.03.2009
Elections for the Palestinian Authority presidency and the legislative council will be held on January 25, 2010, the rival political factions in the Palestinian territories agreed on Monday.
Fatah, Hamas, and smaller Palestinian groups agreed on the date for elections during discussions held by one of the six committees formed in the Cairo reconciliation talks.
The committees are comprised of representatives from all Palestinian factions. The agreement is ostensibly valid on condition that the groups arrive at an overall agreement on a power-sharing structure.
Despite the agreement on the date of elections, Fatah and Hamas, the largest two Palestinian groups, differ fundamentally on how to deal with Israel. Hamas believes in armed struggle, though it is willing to consider a truce, while Abbas backs negotiations Israel.
The talks, mediated by Egypt, had aimed to lay the groundwork for a transitional government followed by presidential and legislative elections. Delegates to the talks were trying to end divisions that deepened when the Islamic militants of Hamas violently took control of Gaza in June 2007, leaving the more moderate Fatah movement in charge only of the West Bank.
The formation of a unity government would also clear the way for desperately needed aid to be delivered to the Gaza Strip. The disagreements between the rivals has held up some $5 billion in international aid for Gaza, which was devastated by Israel's three-week offensive to stop Hamas rocket fire.
Hamas and Fatah had been talking in Cairo since last Tuesday. But when the talks ended last night, significant differences remained, especially on the timing and supervision of elections and whether a power-sharing deal would see Hamas become part of the Fatah-led Palestine Liberation Organization. The PLO is the body that has signed previous agreements with Israel, and the inclusion of Hamas could give it a say over the future of negotiations.
Several delegates to the talks detailed the main sticking points earlier Sunday. They agreed to speak only on condition of anonymity because the talks were then still in progress.
Fatah wanted to form a government of technocrats under a political program that stated clearly that it fully complies with past PLO agreements with Israel. That would amount to Hamas' recognition of Israel.
Hamas, however, refused to abandon the call in its founding charter for Israel's destruction. It was willing only to say it respects PLO agreements with Israel.
This disagreement was confirmed by Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum and Samir Ghosheh, a member of the PLO's executive committee.
The two sides have tried to solve this thorny issue through different wordings before, including in the short-lived unity government of 2006, but the results fell short of demands by the international community that Hamas clearly recognize Israel.
There were also disagreements over how to organize presidential and legislative elections, the delegates said. Hamas wanted a new, more independent electoral commission that represents all Palestinian factions.
By Avi Issacharoff, Haaretz Correspondent, and The Associated Press
Источник: Haaretz
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