اقرأ باللغة العربية While Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas insists on holding a meeting of the Palestinian National Council (PNC) – the highest Palestinian constitutional body – in the West Bank, Palestinian factions strongly oppose holding such a meeting with its current composition. They demand the meeting should represent everyone in the political spectrum built on an electoral base and proportional representation, and consensus when necessary. Otherwise, they believe, the outcome of the meeting Abbas wants – if it takes place – will be nothing more than ink on paper. According to information leaked from the inner decision-making circle, Abbas and senior advisers believe Hamas is no longer interested in reconciliation, therefore the Palestinian Authority (PA) must now protect itself from criticism triggered by steps it took that impact people's lives in the Gaza Strip. In fact, there is a notion of completely severing ties between the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and living the consequences. Therefore, before anything else, the Palestinian leadership is keen on taking decisions on this issue by holding a PNC meeting. Preparations for a September meeting are underway ahead of Abbas's address at the annual meeting of the UN General Assembly later that month, to ensure his speech includes the outcome and decisions of the PNC meeting on the domestic and foreign fronts. US experts believe Abbas is the last hope for the peace process, and the only person who has the ability and mandate to sign a peace deal in the name of the Palestinian people and speak on their behalf. Jamal Mehesen, member of Fatah's Central Committee, said that communication with all factions – including Hamas and Islamic Jihad – are ongoing to reach agreement on the PNC meeting. Mehesen continued that the absence of some factions would negatively impact the meeting, but the meeting will be held even if many factions boycott it. According to him, the agenda of the meeting includes re-electing the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), assessing the current Palestinian situation in light of Arab and international variables, and taking stock of Israeli escalation. Mehesen explained Abbas is stepping up meetings with Fatah, the PLO's Executive Committee and PNC because “the coming phase is critical in light of Israeli escalation and no hope of the US moving negotiations with the occupation. We need these intense meetings to take appropriate decisions and confront everything surrounding the Palestinian cause.” Mohamed Al-Ghoul, a Hamas MP and chairman of the Legal Committee in parliament, said Abbas insists on holding the PNC meeting in the occupied West Bank for certain groups so the PNC adopts policies and decisions that are pre-arranged with the occupation. He added that the current composition of the PNC contradicts the bylaws of the PLO because it does not “completely represent all of the Palestinian people, but only a specific partisan category”. Analysts believe steps and positions will be taken next month that will impact the entire Palestinian scene. The Palestinian leadership continues to prepare for these steps and study their impact domestically and overseas, through discussions and exploring developments in the narrow decision-making circle because several unresolved issues can no longer be ignored as tensions rise. Soon, influential institutions will be brought into the fold, including Fatah's Central Committee, the PLO's Executive Committee and the Central Council. Meanwhile, Abbas's advisers continue meetings. A leading Fatah figure in Gaza revealed there will be protests by the group's leadership in the coming days against Abbas's policies in Gaza which laid off PA civil servants in Gaza, slashed salaries, imposed forced and early retirement, and constantly threatens further sanctions. “This pushes us to escalate and protest,” said the source, adding that leaders in Gaza reject Abbas's confrontational policies and decided on civil disobedience, and possibly further escalation. This Fatah leader said there is extensive anger and discontent within the group in Gaza which will shortly evolve into large protests against Abbas and those putting Gaza under siege and making Gazans suffer politically, financially and economically. Analysts predict Abbas will continue arbitrary action against the Hamas government in Gaza after more than 6,000 employees at the ministries of health and education were sacked. Ashraf Al-Qodra, spokesman for the Ministry of Health in Gaza, said the forced retirement of many employees in the health sector completes the criminal triangle of death, which began with stopping the delivery of medicine, then referrals, and finally forced retirement of medical staff. Al-Qodra added the PA is targeting basic living necessities of Palestinians in Gaza, especially health services which account for more than 90 per cent of services for citizens during the 11-year siege. Mahmoud Abu Shiyab, an economic expert, warned against completely disconnecting the West Bank and Gaza. Abu Shiyab believes if more government employees in Gaza are dismissed and the West Bank and Gaza are completely separated, then Hamas will resort to military confrontation to create a new reality and impose new players on the political, domestic and international scene. “Abbas wants to trigger a revolution against Hamas,” according to Abu Shiyab. “But that will not happen.” New plans for Gaza PROGRESS is being made in talks between Palestinian factions over the future of Gaza, though Fatah — at least the Abbas wing — is not involved, writes Ahmed Eleiba. Throughout last week, Cairo hosted Palestinian delegations from Hamas, the Islamic Jihad, the Democratic Front and multiple other factions, but Fatah and the Popular Front did not attend. According to sources in Cairo, understandings are almost complete and only a few minor details remain that could require more visits. The next step will be an action plan to implement these understandings. Many meetings were held for the 18 delegates, including individual, bilateral and three-way talks. Hamas consulted with Samir Mashharawi, representing the bloc supporting Mohamed Dahlan, about the details of security and political arrangements in the Gaza Strip. According to observers, a new administrative mechanism for the Rafah border crossing was agreed upon which will see the crossing reopened. Hamas as a faction will not be represented in the new administration, set to come into force in September. Cairo opens the border intermittently to allow the passage of individuals in both directions. An Egyptian presidential decree will open the border this week. A source from one of the factions said the new mechanism under discussion will hand this procedure over to “an official Palestinian body and not necessarily the Presidential Guard”. Cairo proposed a six-point political initiative for talks between Hamas and the Dahlan bloc, which Hamas currently deals with as the reformist current inside Fatah. “First, dissolve the government administrative committee; second, simultaneously, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas would revoke all measures and decisions against the Gaza Strip and Hamas without exception,” revealed Tarek Fahmi, an expert at the National Centre for Middle East Studies. Third, “empower the consensus government to operate freely in the Gaza Strip”; fourth “resolve the issue of Hamas civil servants and integrate them into the government apparatus”. Fifth, “hold Palestinian general elections”; sixth, Cairo will invite all Palestinian groups to a “comprehensive dialogue to discuss ending divisions once and for all”. There are two ideas for dissolving the administrative committee, which is a key demand on the procedural level to forming a government. First, forming a cabinet combining Dahlan's bloc and other factions, with a majority from Hamas; and second, proposed by Al-Qassam Brigades, for Hamas to relinquish all powers and create a political and security vacuum in Gaza. It is believed that Hamas is being opposed by its military wing due to developments in Cairo. Sources indicated that Mahmoud Al-Zahhar, a leading Hamas figure, opposes this direction and is supported by a sizeable number of politicians in the group including Al-Qassam commanders, which could fracture Hamas internally. But Hamas leader Khalil Al-Hayya, who is in Cairo as part of the Hamas delegation, countered that his group is willing to dissolve the administrative committee as soon as the consensus government comes to power in the Gaza Strip. Al-Hayya added: “There must be guarantees by the government before the administrative committee in charge of ministries and institutions in Gaza is dissolved.” Responding to Al-Qassam Brigade's proposal of a political vacuum, the Hamas official said: “Hamas is structured on specialties; its leadership is in charge of political and military action. Although Al-Qassam Brigades focuses on non-political issues, they believe current conditions in the Gaza Strip impact resistance, especially due to instability, which is why they came up with this notion that Hamas should step back and let the international community and powers take responsibility for the Gaza Strip.” Al-Hayya noted the idea is being discussed within Hamas and a decision will be taken in due course. Among other meetings in Cairo, one was held for the Solidarity Committee that was formed by Palestinian factions to take charge of services in Gaza. It will likely be financed by Arab funds so no one faction monopolises it. Several sources noted that Arab countries will support this committee, and the UAE has already stepped forward.
