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Palestinian groups Fatah, Hamas announce accord that could threaten Mideast peace talks Palestinian groups Fatah, Hamas announce accord that could threaten Mideast peace talks
(about 2 hours later)
JERUSALEM — Rival Palestinian political factions Fatah and Hamas on Wednesday announced a reconciliation deal that could lead to the formation of a unified government, raising significant new obstacles to further negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians. JERUSALEM — Rival Palestinian political factions on Wednesday announced a surprise reconciliation deal and plans for a unified government, upending U.S.-backed peace talks with Israel just days before a deadline to end or extend the most substantive negotiations in years.
Fatah and Hamas have announced similar accords previously, only to see them fall apart, but the latest announcement drew swift condemnation from officials in Israel, which considers Hamas a terrorist organization. The Obama administration said the tentative deal — which could lead to a unity government by the end of May — was disappointing. The deal would reunite the moderate Fatah faction in the West Bank, which has been negotiating with Israel, with the radical Hamas faction that refuses to recognize Israel’s legitimacy. Hamas is blamed for allowing near-daily rocket attacks on Israel from the Gaza Strip territory it controls.
“This could seriously complicate our efforts — not just our efforts, but the efforts between the parties more importantly to extend the negotiations,” State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said. Israel quickly condemned the plan and canceled a negotiating session with representatives of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas planned for Wednesday evening.
Psaki called the timing of the announcement troubling. It came days before the expiration of Secretary of State John F. Kerry’s deadline for an outline of peace deal and could be a spoiler for Israeli and Palestinian discussions this week about ways to keep the talks going. “This evening, as peace talks were about to take place, Abbas chose Hamas and not peace,” read a statement released by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office. “Whoever chooses Hamas does not want peace.”
The statement called Hamas “a murderous terror organization that calls for the destruction of Israel.”
The United States, apparently taken unaware, called the development disappointing and a serious hurdle to nine-month-old peace talks that have been the signature diplomatic effort of Secretary of State John F. Kerry.
“It’s hard to see how Israel can be expected to negotiate with a government that does not believe in its right to exist,” State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said.
Fatah and Hamas have announced similar accords previously, only to see them fall apart.
The accord announced Wednesday gives Abbas five weeks to form a unity government based on conditions laid out in previous agreements and to set in motion plans for parliamentary and presidential elections.
At a news conference in the Gaza Strip, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and senior Fatah official Azzam al-Ahmad said the two factions had fulfilled a “national responsibility” to reach an agreement.
Fatah is the dominant party in the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and governs the much larger Palestinian territory in the West Bank under Israeli occupation. Fatah broke ties with Islamic militant movement Hamas after it seized control of the smaller Gaza territory in 2007. Hamas had swept elections there in 2006, following Israel’s unilateral withdrawal of forces and settlers.
Both the United States and Israel have branded Hamas a terrorist organization and have no direct relations with the group.
The United States is watching developments closely, Psaki said, and is not yet writing off intensive efforts to help Israel and the Palestinians frame a peace deal.
“This could seriously complicate our efforts — not just our efforts, but the efforts between the parties more importantly to extend the negotiations,” Psaki said.
Kerry worked for the first half of 2013 to restart peace talks that had been largely shelved for the previous five years. When talks did resume last summer, he set a deadline of the end of April for an outline deal. That deadline had slipped, and efforts over the past several weeks were on keeping negotiations going. Kerry insists the talks have been detailed and meaningful, despite complaints on both sides. All talks have been at the relatively low level of negotiators, with no direct meeting between Netanyahu and Abbas.
“The ball is in the Palestinian court” to explain how the proposed unity government would work and what effect it would have on talks with Israel, Psaki said.“The ball is in the Palestinian court” to explain how the proposed unity government would work and what effect it would have on talks with Israel, Psaki said.
At a news conference in the Gaza Strip, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and senior Fatah official Azzam al-Ahmad, a representative of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, said the two sides had fulfilled a “national responsibility” to reach an agreement. Abbas has said he wants a peace deal and has pledged to bargain with Israel in good faith. Netanyahu likewise has said he wants a deal.
The accord gives Abbas five weeks to form a unity government based on conditions laid out in previous agreements and to set in motion plans for parliamentary and presidential elections. Dore Gold, special adviser to Netanyahu, said the announcement reveals how Abbas really sees future relations with Israel.
Fatah, which is the dominant party in the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) and rules the Palestinian territory in the West Bank, broke ties with Islamic militant movement Hamas after it seized control of Gaza in 2007. “Unless Abbas pulls back from his embrace of Hamas it’s impossible to imagine these peace talks will work,” Gold said.
Both the United States and Israel have branded Hamas a terrorist organization and have no direct relations with the group. Meanwhile, Israel has been involved in peace negotiations with the PLO for the past nine months under a U.S.-led initiative. Saeb Erekat, the chief Palestinian negotiator, suggested Israel is being hypocritical.
In a statement to the media following the announcement of the Palestinians’ accord, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Abbas should choose between reaching peace with Israel or making an agreement with Hamas, “a murderous terror organization that calls for the destruction of Israel and is labeled a terrorist organization by the U.S. and the European Union. “Mr. Netanyahu and his government were using Palestinian division as an excuse not to make peace. Now they want to use Palestinian reconciliation as an excuse for the same purpose,” Erekat said. “This is utterly absurd. The only logical conclusion is that Netanyahu’s government does not want peace.”
“This evening, as peace talks were about to take place, Abbas chose Hamas and not peace,” read a statement released by Netanyahu’s office. “Whoever chooses Hamas does not want peace.” Shimrit Meir, founding editor of Arabic media outlet Al Masdar, said that despite the announcement of an agreement between Fatah and Hamas, the real test would be if Abbas would visit Gaza in the coming weeks.
Israel also canceled a meeting between Israeli and Palestinian negotiators scheduled to take place Wednesday evening. “This is not the first ‘breakthrough’ between the two sides since 2007; we have been in this situation before,” she said, adding, however, that there were some indications that this agreement could hold.
“This kind of agreement will definitely affect the talks negatively,” said Kobi Michael, a senior research fellow at the Institute for National Security Studies in Israel. “Having a unity deal will make life much harder for [Palestinian President Mahmoud] Abbas. He will now not be in a position to make meaningful concessions to Israel.”
Shimrit Meir, founding editor of Arabic media outlet “Al Masdar” (The Source), said that despite the announcement of an agreement between Fatah and Hamas, the real test would be if Abbas would visit Gaza in the coming weeks.
“This is not the first ‘breakthrough’ between the two sides since 2007; we have been in this situation before,” she said, however, adding that there were some indications that this agreement could hold.
This time, she said, both sides are in difficult positions. Both have lost their popularity on the Palestinian street, Hamas has lost its support from Egypt and Iran, and Abbas is facing difficult challenges in reaching a peace agreement with the Israelis.This time, she said, both sides are in difficult positions. Both have lost their popularity on the Palestinian street, Hamas has lost its support from Egypt and Iran, and Abbas is facing difficult challenges in reaching a peace agreement with the Israelis.
“Hamas wants to implement this agreement because they are very weak and need it now more than any time in the past,” said Meir. Abbas, she said, is indicating that he has made a choice to go with Hamas rather than trying to achieve a breakthrough in the peace process with Israel. “Hamas wants to implement this agreement because they are very weak and need it now more than any time in the past,” said Meir.
“Abbas wants to have as many options as possible,” said Meir. “He wants to present these to the international community, whether it’s unilateralism, a popular uprising or reconciliation with Hamas and a unity government.” Abbas, she said, is indicating that he has made a choice to go with Hamas rather than trying to achieve a breakthrough in the peace process with Israel.
Meanwhile, as the new conference in Gaza City was taking place, the Israeli military said that its jets had targeted sites in the seaside enclave. Palestinian media reported that seven people were injured. As the new conference in Gaza City was taking place, the Israeli military said that its jets had targeted sites in the seaside enclave. Palestinian media reported that seven people were injured.
Gearan contributed from Washington. Islam Abdul-Karim in Gaza contributed to this report.Gearan contributed from Washington. Islam Abdul-Karim in Gaza contributed to this report.