The Palestinian Fatah and Hamas movements have held meetings over the past two days to overcome obstacles and resolve controversial issues before the beginning of the Palestinian national dialogue in Cairo today. "Cairo will not intervene in the dialogue. Nor will it impose conditions on the Palestinian factions. It will leave them choose what suits them, but it will intervene and offer its point of view only in the case of obstacles or difficulties," an Egyptian official source said, describing the situation as "difficult and complicated". Egypt has proposed that a national government of consensus be formed next April. The government – not unity or technocratic – should be chaired by an independent figure. In addition, the sovereign ministries should be controlled by personalities from outside Fatah and Hamas. This government will work for a transitional period not exceeding 9 months to prepare for the legislative and presidential elections in January.
Asked whether the situation will return to what it was before Hamas controlled the Gaza Strip, the source said it is difficult to return to the former situation because there are variables in the arena. He hoped that the Palestinian National Authority would exist in the Gaza Strip to carry out the task of the reconstruction of Gaza.
Hossam Zaki, the spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, asked the Palestinian factions to give priority to the Palestinian national interest and forget any "narrow" political considerations or affiliations.
Asked if Egypt is optimistic about reaching reconciliation this time, Zaki said these matters have nothing to do with optimism or pessimism, as they are dominated by political calculations rather than sentiments.
All people hope for a Palestinian reconciliation soon, but they also know that there are many "problems".
The Palestinian delegations arrived successively yesterday in Cairo, which received the delegations of the Islamic Jihad movement, headed by its Deputy Secretary-General Ziad al-Nakhla, and the Palestine Liberation Front, headed by its Secretary-General Wassel Abu Youssef. The delegations of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine arrived yesterday, too.
Speaking to Al-Masry Al-Youm, Abu Youssef said the dialogue will start with be a meeting of the secretary generals or their representatives to discuss the issue of the five committees of dialogue and the issues resolved by the Egyptian paper. The meeting will not include any protocol or procedures or ceremonial sessions, as the delegations will immediately discuss the issues of reconciliation away from the media, he said.
"The celebration will start after reaching a final agreement after the work of the five committees that will start within four days."
He pointed out that the Egyptian paper stressed the importance of putting an end to the Palestinian internecine and agreeing on the formation of a government of national consensus to prepare for the presidential and legislative elections within a period of time that will be agreed upon later. The paper also called for the rehabilitation of the security services on professional bases and the re-activation of the Palestine Liberation Organization on the basis of the Cairo Declaration and the national reconciliation document.
For his part, the British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said the Palestinian reconciliation should result in a government capable of rebuilding the Palestinian economy and preparing for a political process through holding the elections next year. The most important thing is the new government's ability to consolidate the principle of a single government controlling the West Bank and the Gaza Strip because there should be an integrated Palestinian state in accordance with our vision for the future, he added.
