Last gasp

Another fire in Cairo, the indictment of Al-Bashir and a Palestinian reconciliation that will help all Arabs were the issues looked at by Doaa El-Bey

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The road to Palestinian reconciliation seems to be bumpy and full of hurdles as the talks held in Cairo this week showed. Although its start is regarded as a positive sign by some writers, it is its result that will have an impact on the Palestinian issue, Arab reconciliation and the Doha summit.

Omar Giftely shed light on the importance of reaching a comprehensive national agreement at a time when the Arab nation is getting ready for the Doha summit. Moreover, the Palestinian issue, which is likely to be the focus of the summit, can be a factor for its success in uniting the Arabs vis-à-vis aggressive Israeli practices.

The seriousness of the parties involved in the dialogue indicates they have already taken important steps towards an agreement that is likely to be announced soon. However, Giftely warned that agreement should not face another setback for it was past setbacks that allowed Israel to launch a war against Gaza and escape from its occupation commitments to the Palestinians. Also the Palestinians' success in protecting their unity can have a positive impact on Arab unity as a whole.

Thus what is required now more than at any other time is "turning the page of Palestinian differences forever and rooting the option of Palestinian unity and resistance as a way to freeing Palestinian lands and regaining Palestinian rights," Giftely wrote in the Syrian political daily Tishreen.

The Qatari daily Al-Raya pointed to the clear Palestinian will to reach a national agreement via dialogue in Cairo. Thus extending the dialogue heralds hopes for a breakthrough that would take the Palestinians out of the dark tunnel of differences.

Given that all Palestinian parties realise the magnitude of the crisis facing them and agree on the importance of a settlement, the only option left for them is making concessions in order to form a national unity government.

The edit said the talks reached a difficult stage in which they agreed on some issues, but failed to agree on others. Thus, "it is important for all the parties to realise that the Cairo talks are the last chance and they are required to espouse the slogan 'no to failure, yes to agreement' in order to be able to face the present challenges."

The other option before the Palestinians is returning to square one which would take them to more inter-Palestinian conflicts and more pressure from Israel to make further concessions.

The Al-Raya edit called on the Palestinians to invest in the relative progress in Arab reconciliation and give up their preconditions and abide by the agreement reached in Cairo on 26 February that set the basis for forming a national unity government.

Ragab Abu Sereya failed to see the positive side to the start of Palestinian dialogue in Cairo because even if they manage to agree that does not mean that the road is paved for ending the divisions. He regarded extending the time given to the five committees as an indication that they are facing difficulties, not necessarily in resolving the present internal crisis, but in the presence of two policies to manage the dialogue, each according to its own interests without considering the Palestinian situation as a whole. Hamas still pushes for the files of the Palestine Liberation Organisation and opening the crossings at a time when Fatah focuses on the formation of a Palestinian unity government. That difference put the Palestinian dialogue at a crossroads that is linked to the priorities of each party.

"The Cairo dialogue represents the last chance for both the Palestinians and other Arabs to end divisions and reach reconciliation," Abu Sereya wrote in the Palestinian independent political daily Al-Ayyam. The Arabs are divided between moderate states who push for Palestinian unity and hardline states who are not bothered by Palestinian unity. In addition, any setback to the dialogue would have consequences on the Doha summit and consequently on the future of the Arab region since both the Egyptian and Saudi leaders will not attend.

Belal Al-Hassan pointed to the intensive Arab political dialogue that the region witnessed recently as a sign that everybody is getting ready for the Doha summit. The summit is likely to discuss Arab reconciliation based mainly on Saudi-Syrian and Egyptian-Syrian reconciliation; inter-Palestinian reconciliation and the Iranian role in the region. Any attempt to bridge differences ahead of the summit should study the strategies of the Arab states. If that study succeeds, the summit could achieve what previous summits failed to realise.

"Genuine Arab reconciliation needs intensive meetings and a discussion of the terms of a united Arab strategy," Al-Hassan wrote in the London-based political daily Asharq Al-Awsat.

Erfan Nizameddin regarded the Doha summit as exceptional, providing the last chance for the Arab nation because its failure could lead to huge repercussions on the present and future and could open a new phase of conflicts, crises and wars.

The writer said that one cannot help but confess that the previous summits -- even those held in difficult conditions -- issued resolutions that were never executed and that differences played a role in paralysing inter-Arab cooperation. However, that confession should not stop us from trying again in this last-chance summit, especially now after the Kuwait summit paved the way for reconciliation. "Reconciliation took off in Kuwait. Qatar should be the next step," Nizameddin wrote in the independent political daily Al-Hayat.

But mere talk about reconciliation without putting a sound basis for it would have repercussions. Reconciliation, as the writer said, should be based on an honest pledge to abide by the agreements, prioritising the nation's interests, working hard to bridge gaps and deal with any differences and agreeing on a united stand before the world.

"Thus reconciliation should be the first objective of the Doha summit because the alternative would be catastrophic in the full sense of the word," he added.

However, Nizameddin ruled out reconciliation as being easy or can be achieved by a magic wand. Reconciliation requires intensive meetings, mini-summits and consultation before the Doha summit.