The question of Gaza's border crossings -- especially Rafah -- comes again to the fore as Hamas rejects Ramallah's offer of ending the siege in return for a controlling role, writes Ahmed Eleiba No one can be certain today that Hamas and its government are solid. Both the group and its government are suffering internal struggles, and the repercussions of the Arab Spring have upset the balance of power within the group and government. They are both going through a difficult transition for which politburo elections could be a factor for stability. At the same time, it is not certain if inter-Palestinian reconciliation between Hamas and rival Fatah is possible in the near future, since there are many signs that disputes are deeper than before. Meanwhile, Hamas in the Gaza Strip may be seeking to become a self-governing authority. In an exclusive interview, Mahmoud Al-Zahhar said as much, stating that, "Any inch of land occupied in 1948 that is liberated can be considered a temporary Palestinian state." Al-Zahhar as usual blamed Fatah for not achieving reconciliation, saying, "Hamas boycotted local elections within this context since Fatah nominated its members and those close to the group, and ignored Hamas supporters in the West Bank. That is why we are boycotting these elections and do not view them as legitimate." The Hamas leader further revealed that Cairo was about to officially recognise the Gaza Strip and its government. The most recent spat occurred when the Hamas government in Gaza rejected the proposal by its counterpart in the West Bank -- the Palestinian Authority (PA) -- offering to ease the six-year siege on Gaza. This would come as part of a deal making the PA responsible for overseeing border crossings without directly or indirectly dealing with Ismail Haniyeh's government, in return for Israel lifting the siege altogether. The offer is the culmination of efforts by PA Foreign Minister Riad Al-Maliki who received a green light from world powers that put pressure on Israel, which wants the PA to return to power in Gaza but without reconciliation, according to Al-Zahhar. Sources in Cairo who are involved in the issue said that Egypt's position is not the same as Al-Maliki's government, but rather advocates a partnership since Cairo wants reconciliation between the two sides based on the agreement regarding managing border crossings that was signed in Cairo in 2005, with both sides participating and an international player possibly mediating. Mahmoud Al-Madhoun, Haniyeh's chief of staff, said that Hamas in Gaza does not coordinate with the Fatah government in Ramallah about opening the border crossings in the Gaza Strip. "We reject any proposals by Fatah about opening the Rafah border without the participation of the legitimate government in Gaza," Al-Madhoun asserted. He added that border crossings should be opened in conjunction with the existence of a government in Gaza that must play a role in this process. Al-Madhoun also revealed that the Hamas government had previously suggested that border crossings be administered by private companies. There is also another idea that is similar to Egypt's, namely that the PA's staff should return to manage the border crossing without making Ramallah the sole authority in charge, and giving Hamas the responsibility of administration. This could serve as the foundational step of cooperation between the two sides. Moussa Abu Marzouq, the deputy head of the group's politburo, made this suggestion in exclusive statements. Abu Marzouq, a key conservative Hamas figure, argued that the PA still has a role to play at the border on the Israeli side. Nonetheless, if there were an opportunity for a deal to lift the siege without involving the Israelis, "we would no doubt welcome the PA's staff in managing the Gaza Strip." Al-Zahhar, viewed as a leading hawk in the group, does not give a straight response to this proposal because he does not feel it is necessary while Cairo is taking steps to alleviate the siege. "Cairo's policies about allowing the passage of individuals has changed, but it did not alter much regarding goods and commodities," stated Abu Marzouq. At the beginning of the week there were signs of a further breakthrough when Qatari trucks were allowed to pass the border. Qatar's Emir Hamad bin Jassem is also scheduled to visit the Gaza Strip before Eid Al-Adha, which Hamas believes will give it a boost. Others -- such as former minister of NGO affairs Hassan Al-Asfour -- view the visit as playing all sides of the inter-Palestinian dispute. Will there be a row about the administration of border crossings after Cairo shut down the tunnels that Al-Zahhar had described as "Gaza's lungs"? An informed source that accompanied the delegation in Cairo said: "We told Hamas that we will shut down the tunnels, and we will close them. We cannot accept Al-Zahhar's current policies."
