As Hamas and Fatah iron out the details of a unity government, a deal that may free Marwan Barghouti is reportedly imminent, writes Khaled Amayreh in the West Bank Palestinian Authority (PA) Chairman Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister-designate Ismail Haniyeh were due to meet Tuesday evening, or Wednesday, in an effort to overcome "last minute glitches" impeding the formation of a long-awaited national unity government. Abbas and Haniyeh met in Gaza twice this week in what was described as an "amicable atmosphere". In the first meeting, which took place Sunday 4 March, Haniyeh briefed Abbas on progress towards forming a unity government while Abbas briefed Haniyeh on his recent European visit. Following the meeting, Abbas's spokesman, Nabil Abu Rudeina told reporters, "we confront no obstacles in forming the unity government, which we expect to complete in the coming days." Abu Rudeina said, "ministers will be named this week and then the cabinet will be submitted to the Palestinian Legislative Council for approval." Ghazi Hamed, spokesman for the present caretaker government, said there was complete agreement with regard to "sovereign portfolios", adding that both Abbas and Haniyeh agreed that Ziad Abu Amr, an independent who has ties with Hamas, will be the next minister of foreign affairs. Abu Amr is a former political science professor who also served in two cabinets during Yasser Arafat's era. In a Monday meeting, Abbas and Haniyeh agreed to form committees to tackle the main contentious issue: who will be at the helm of the Interior Ministry. Hamas has proposed Hammouda Jarwan, a former Fatah security officer who has good relations with Hamas. Fatah has been reluctant to endorse the candidacy of Jarwan for two reasons. First, Jarwan is rumoured to have friendly relations with outgoing Interior Minister Said Siyam, whom Fatah accuses of being the "mastermind" behind the "Executive Force" which confronted and repressed Fatah forces during recent bloody clashes between the rival groups. Second, the Fatah leadership -- especially in the Gaza Strip -- views Jarwan as having betrayed the movement. Jarwan has denied the charge, saying that he remains a proud member of Fatah, adding, however, that his loyalty to Palestine and the Palestinian people would always come first, because "Palestine is bigger than any faction". Abbas reportedly proposed several other candidates for the contentious portfolio, but it remains unclear whether Hamas would agree to withdraw its candidate Jarwan. Ayman Taha, a Hamas spokesperson in Gaza was quoted as saying that the disagreement over who will be the next interior minister shouldn't impede the formation of the government. "If this is the only issue preventing the formation of the national unity government, our last resort will be to have Ismail Haniyeh as acting interior minister until we find the right person." Both Fatah and Hamas have denied the existence of any crisis, saying that the new government will be announced in seven to 10 days at the latest. Meanwhile, Hamas has finalised its list of candidates for the nine portfolios allotted to the movement. According to Saleh Al-Bardawil, the spokesman of Hamas's parliamentary bloc, the movement will be in control of the portfolios of communication and information technology, economy, youth and sport, waqf and Islamic affairs, planning, tourism, women's affairs, education and local governance. Fatah will be allotted seven portfolios, including labour, justice, a portfolio for prisoners, health, agriculture, finance and social affairs. Fatah has also submitted two candidates for the post of deputy prime minister, asking Haniyeh to endorse one of them. The two are Azzam Al-Ahmed, head of Fatah's parliamentary bloc, and Nasr Youssef, former security chief in the previous Fatah-dominated government. It is also believed that MP Mustafa Al-Barghouti may become the next Palestinian minister of information. Bassam Al-Sahlhi, of the Palestine People's Party, is also likely to become a minister in the next government. Meanwhile, it is believed that the coming to fruition of the next government will coincide with a breakthrough in the so-called "Shalit affair". Palestinian resistance fighters captured Corporal Gilad Shalit, an Israeli occupation army soldier, in Gaza in June 2006, mainly for the purpose of impelling Israel to release hundreds of Palestinian resistance and political prisoners languishing in Israeli jails and detention camps. In the wake of the resistance operation, Israel launched wave after wave of military incursions into Gaza, killing over 600 Palestinians and destroying the bulk of Gaza's civil infrastructure, including Gaza's sole power station. Simultaneously, Israel turned the Gaza Strip into a concentration camp, barring Gazans from travelling and restricting the flow of food and basic supplies. These measures -- arguably criminal under international law -- failed to compel Hamas to release Shalit. Last week, Hamas official Osama Mazzini indicated, however, that a breakthrough in negotiations concerning Shalit was looming. "It is possible that this time the occupation is serious about bringing to an end a case that has brought them domestic and international embarrassment. In the coming days, I hope that good news will bring joy to the Palestinians, especially to the families of prisoners," Mazzini said. It is speculated that in return for releasing Shalit, several Palestinian leaders, including more than 60 abducted by Israel after Shalit's capture last summer, will be freed. Palestinian sources told Al-Ahram Weekly that among the prisoners expected to be freed are Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti, former Fatah MP Hossam Khadr, as well as dozens of prominent Fatah and Hamas leaders. Palestinians believe the release of Marwan Barghouti will stabilise the Palestinian arena and strengthen the "national harmony" trend within Fatah at the expense of those advocating a tough stance vis-à-vis Hamas.
