EU may resume aid to PA

Prisoners' document under discussion in talks for national unity government.

By KHALED ABU TOAMEH
haniyeh waving 298 88 ap (photo credit: AP [file])
haniyeh waving 298 88 ap
(photo credit: AP [file])
Sources close to PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas said Monday morning that the PA received a promise from European authorities to resume financial aid after the prisoners' document is ratified. Originally, Hamas and Fatah leaders had discussed establishing a government headed by independent figures as a means to pave the way for a national unity government. However, talks are now underway for proceeding straight to a national unity government, which would be set up with the cooperation of all major Palestinian factions. The agreement as it stands does not include an explicit recognition of Israel's right to exist. On Sunday, Palestinian factions launched marathon talks in an attempt to reach an agreement over a document drafted by some Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails. Palestinian officials expressed hope that an agreement would be reached by Tuesday. The move is designed to avert civil war among the Palestinians. Rouhi Fatouh, a senior Fatah official and a close aide to Abbas, said Fatah and Hamas had reached an agreement over 15 of the 18 points appearing in the prisoners' document. "We're continuing our discussions about the remaining three points," he said. "We're hoping to conclude the talks by Tuesday morning." The problematic points are related to the status of the PLO, the future of "armed resistance" against Israel and accepting UN and Arab resolutions regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Hamas has refused to recognize the PLO as the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinians. It is also opposed to the document's call for restricting armed attacks against Israelis to the West Bank, Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem and for accepting all UN and Arab resolutions and peace initiatives. Jamil Majdalawi, a representative of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, one of the factions participating in the "national dialogue," said both Hamas and Fatah were close to reaching an agreement over the controversial points. "They have both agreed on the essence of these issues," he said. "Now it's only a matter of how they formulate the agreement." Majdalawi said the agreement, which may be signed this week, calls for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital on all the territories that were captured by Israel in 1967. The agreement, he added, will emphasize the right of return for all refugees and the right to "resist the occupation." Osama Mazini, a senior Hamas official in the Gaza Strip, said he did not rule out the possibility that Abbas and his Fatah party would agree to make some changes in the three disputed points, adding that such a move would pave the way for signing an agreement as early as Tuesday. He said that Hamas supported the idea of establishing a national unity government. Sources close to Fatah and Hamas said the agreement calls for canceling a referendum over the prisoners' document in return for the establishment of a new government that would be headed by Nablus businessman Munib al-Masri. They said that under the terms of the agreement, the new government, which would consist of independent figures, would be approved by the Hamas-dominated Palestinian Legislative Council. The new government would be responsible for running the day-to-day affairs of the PA, while Abbas would be in charge of peace talks with Israel. Yasser Abed Rabbo, a member of the PLO executive committee and an adviser to Abbas, said on Sunday that efforts were under way to form a new government headed by an independent figure. He said that despite the talk about an impending agreement between Fatah and Hamas, preparations would continue to hold the referendum next month. "We want an independent government that would deal only with domestic issues," he said. "As for the political issues, they will be under the jurisdiction of the president and the PLO." In another sign of the apparent rapprochement between Hamas and Fatah, the two parties reached an agreement on Sunday over a number of security-related issues. The agreement was reached during a meeting in Gaza City between Haniyeh and Interior Minister Said Siam and former security chief Muhammad Dahlan. The agreement calls for merging Hamas's new "backup" security force to the PA security forces and for ending daily clashes between Hamas and Fatah militiamen in the Gaza Strip. Hamas's force comprises more than 3,000 members of the movement's armed wing, Izaddin al-Kassam