Palestinian unity postponed: So what else is new?

The Palestinian unity deal, on again and off again, was postponed due to "inappropriate conditions." The appropriate conditions are that the Atlantic Ocean will turn into pink lemonade, and the lion shall lie down with the lamb and a little child shall lead them.

 

Of course, if the deal ever happens it will make peace impossible because Hamas is never going to agree to recognizing Israel. Meanwhile, Egypt does not tire of trying to square the circle. Their hope is that that the Palestinian Authority will force Hamas to become "respectable." But the current seems to go the other way. It is the Hamas that keeps pushing the Palestinian leadership to extremist positions.

 

Ami Isseroff

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Last update - 11:01 17/10/2009       
Egypt: Fatah-Hamas deal deferred due to 'inappropriate conditions'
By Avi Issacharoff, Haaretz Correspondent

 

Egypt announced on Saturday the latest postponement of a reconciliation agreement between rival Palestinian movements Hamas and Fatah was due to "inappropriate conditions."

 

The announcement came after Fatah unilaterally signed the pact in Cairo on Thursday without reservations. Hamas, however, said it needed another few days to consider the document, and that the Islamist group had reservations about it.

 

Egypt, which has been attempting to broker the deal, had initially planned for the sides to sign the accord on Thursday. The country has yet to set a new date for a signing ceremony.
 

 

Hamas' deputy political leader, Abu Marzouk, said: "Today the Hamas leadership will relay to Egypt a document containing the necessary reservations and amendments for the Egyptian document."

 

According to the Damascus-based official, one of the reservations is about the U.S. demand that the unity deal follow the conditions of the Quartet, which include recognition of the State of Israel, acknowledging earlier agreements and renouncing terrorism.

 

Another was that Hamas wanted guarantees that if it should win in any upcoming elections, the international community would recognize the government it formed. Abu Marzouk further demanded clarifications as to the opening of the Gaza-Egypt border crossing at Rafah, which Egypt has kept shut as part of an Israeli-led blockade on the Gaza Strip.

 

The groups have been bitter rivals ever since Hamas ousted Fatah from the Gaza Strip in a bloody 2007 coup.