Pre-dialogue doubts

Hamas is insistent that it must be treated as an equal partner in Egyptian-sponsored reconciliation talks, writes Saleh Al-Naami

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Hamas leaders cross the Rafah borders on their way to Egypt

The surprise visit by several Hamas leaders to Cairo this week was a sign of the lingering doubts Hamas leaders harbour about Cairo's intentions, a well-informed Hamas source told Al-Ahram Weekly.

Three things bother Hamas. One is Egypt's refusal to respond to any of the amendments the movement suggested to the Egyptian paper on reconciliation. Another is Egypt's desire to set a deadline for the conclusion of the talks. A third has to do with the way Cairo is likely to treat Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas during the talks, due to start 9 November. Hamas is not going to attend the dialogue sessions, the source said, unless these three points are clarified.

Specifically, Hamas leaders don't want Abbas to take part in the dialogue as an independent sponsor of the dialogue, but as a party to the conflict. The movement doesn't see Abbas as president of the Palestinian people, but rather as a "partner in the conspiracy against the movement and an accomplice in the blockade on Gaza". Consequently, Hamas doesn't want Abbas to sit on the main podium while its representatives sit below with the rest of the factions.

Hamas leaders also fear that Egypt will place a deadline for ending the talks and that the movement would be asked to make concessions just because time runs out. According to the same source, Egypt is thinking about setting the end of December as a deadline for ending the talks. Hamas doesn't want Egypt to use the deadline as a way of blaming Hamas for the failure of the dialogue.

Hamas further wants Egypt to take into consideration the amendments it proposed on the Egyptian document. Hamas leaders suspect that Egypt is solely interested in paving the way for another presidential term for Abbas. In particular, the movement wants the matter of extending Abbas's presidential term left to the sub-committees Cairo has proposed to form. Hamas is unwilling to extend Abbas's term before agreements are finalised and timetables are drawn up. Hamas also wants any agreement reached to be ratified by the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC).

According to the same source, Hamas will not give Abbas a mandate to continue negotiating with Israel. The movement will tell Cairo that it wants reconciliation, but will not back "futile and pointless" negotiations with Israel. Hamas wants to see mechanisms and timetables set for the revitalisation of the Palestine Liberation Organisation before any agreement is reached with Fatah.

Hamas is also adamant that the security services need to be restructured in both the West Bank and Gaza. Hamas officials said that the Cairo draft document has not been unanimously approved by all factions, simply because Egypt has excluded some of the factions sharing Hamas's views from the dialogue -- a tactic meant to isolate Hamas.

Said Seyam, interior minister of the Hamas-led government, said that Hamas is prepared to show great flexibility to make the dialogue a success. In remarks to Al-Ahram Weekly, Seyam said that the success of the dialogue depends on whether "foreign quarters" would try to scuttle it. Hamas wants to resolve all outstanding issues in one package deal, and implement the agreement in both Gaza and the West Bank, he said.

Would Hamas be blamed for the failure of the dialogue? Seyam didn't seem to worry much about that. "What exactly are they threatening us with? Is there anything worse than having your health sector paralysed and your people dying? Hamas is the authority in Gaza and holds two- thirds of the PLC. Its presence in power is a natural situation, not a rebellion," he remarked.

Seyam said that efforts to end internal Palestinian divisions have picked up with the end of Abbas's presidential term approaching on 9 December. He said that efforts international activists made to break the blockade might have embarrassed some officials. He accused Fatah of placing obstacles to the reconciliation talks, perhaps because of US, Israeli and regional objections.

Ghazi Hamad, the Hamas official holding talks with other Palestinian factions, says that various formulas have been reached for a possible agreement. The sticking point, however, is the restructuring of security services. This is the hardest point to tackle as its solution depends not just on Fatah and Hamas, but also on the views of Israel and the US.

It would be hard, he admitted, to ignore Israeli opposition to the inclusion of any resistance group in security arrangements in the West Bank. He proposes the formation of a six- way committee (including Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Qatar and Egypt) charged with finding a solution to the issue.

Although Hamas is willing to accept a prime minister from another faction, finding a candidate suitable to Hamas may not be easy, Hamad noted.

Another matter that may cast a shadow over the dialogue is Hamas's displeasure with the way Cairo is treating its leaders. Hamas particularly resented Cairo's refusal to allow a delegation from the PLC to leave Gaza for an Arab and Islamic tour.

Ahmed Bahr, acting speaker of the PLC, said that Egypt's continued closure of the Rafah crossing would also have a negative impact on the national dialogue as well as on the prospects of releasing Gilad Shalit, the captured Israeli soldier.

Bahr told the Weekly that Egypt's actions undermine its credibility among the Palestinians. Egypt has refused to allow a delegation from the PLC, led by Bahr himself, to leave Gaza despite the intercession of Arab League chief Amr Moussa and other Arab officials.

The Hamas government is also dismayed at Cairo's failure to stop the arrest of hundreds of Hamas officials and supporters in the West Bank. Hamas officials say that the campaign of arrests was still underway as factions prepared to leave for dialogue in Cairo. Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum said that although the Haniyeh government has released all political prisoners in Gaza, its own members are still being arrested in the West Bank.

Israel, for its part, is offering more than just muted disapproval of the Cairo reconciliation talks. Citing sources at the Israeli Foreign Ministry, Yediot Aharonot reported that if Fatah and Hamas reached a deal in Cairo, Israel would halt talks with the Palestinians.