Rival Palestinian Leaders Agree to Form Reconciliation Committee in Egypt
In a rare face-to-face meeting, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh met in Egypt to discuss forming an intra-Palestinian reconciliation committee. The meeting, held in the coastal city of Alamein on Sunday, also included representatives from various Palestinian political factions.
The main goal of this latest reconciliation attempt is to bridge the gap between Hamas’ parallel government in the blockaded Gaza Strip and the Palestinian Authority controlled by Abbas’ Fatah movement, which governs the occupied West Bank.
President Abbas expressed optimism about the meeting, calling it an important step towards continuing the dialogue. He stated, “We hope that the dialogue can achieve the expected goals as soon as possible.” The 87-year-old president also announced the establishment of a committee dedicated to ending division and achieving national unity in Palestine.
Hamas leader Haniyeh called on Abbas to end “security cooperation” and “political arrests” with Israel. He stressed the need to form a new, inclusive parliament through free and democratic elections.
Hamas had won the last legislative election in 2006 but took control of Gaza a year later after clashes with Fatah. Since then, Hamas has ruled over Gaza, while Fatah exercises limited autonomy in the West Bank.
Abbas later said he hoped to convene a conference in Egypt soon to announce “the end of 17 years of division” and the restoration of Palestinian national unity.
However, not everyone is optimistic about the establishment of the committee. Palestinian political scientist Moukhaimer Abu Saada expressed skepticism, stating, “The best way to kill something is to form a committee.” He doubted that the committee would make significant progress in ending division or setting a date for Palestinian elections.
Haniyeh also called for a reform of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), an umbrella body that promotes Palestinian statehood but does not include Hamas or Islamic Jihad. Abbas emphasized the importance of the PLO, stating that it is the only legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.
The last official meeting between Abbas and Haniyeh was in Algiers in July 2022, making this recent face-to-face meeting a significant development in Palestinian politics.
The meeting in Egypt took place against a backdrop of increased violence in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, particularly in the West Bank. In 2023 alone, more than 200 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces, making it a deadly year for Palestinians.
As the reconciliation committee begins its work, Palestinians hope for progress towards unity and an end to the ongoing divisions.