The foreign ministers of Arab states decided to send a shipment of aid to Gaza through the Egyptian-controlled Rafah crossing on Wednesday, a move Palestinian leaders dismissed as insufficient.
Cairo/Bethlehem – Ma’an – The foreign ministers of Arab states decided to send a shipment of aid to Gaza through the Egyptian-controlled Rafah crossing on Wednesday, a move Palestinian leaders dismissed as insufficient.
The leaders of key Palestinian factions, including Hamas, Fatah, and Islamic Jihad had all called on the Arab states to take bold action against the Israeli siege of Gaza before the meeting.
Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum expressed his party’s disappointment in a Thursday statement, where he reiterated the hopes of Palestinians that the meeting would have concluded in a decision to open the Rafah crossing between Egypt and Gaza, thus lifting the siege.
The summit was called by the Arab to discuss the situation in the Gaza Strip and efforts at reuniting the disparate factions.
It was decided that a large amount of aid would be sent to Gaza through the Rafah crossing, but that the border would remain closed. Barhoum called the decision a “weak step” that would not end the crisis in Gaza.
A newly-formed Hamas government committee against the siege, however, praised the decision to send aid through the Rafah crossing, saying the shipment could save lives.
Ala’a al-Bata, the spokesperson of the committee, said the aid will contribute to alleviating the suffering of Gaza residents, and empower their struggle against the blockade.
On the issue of Palestinian elections and leadership, Moussa said Arabs should not accept any "political vacuum" in Palestine and not tolerate a division in the Palestinian ranks.
Hamas, who had no representative at the meeting despite earlier suggestions that one would be invited, said they were willing to encourage any Arab efforts promoting Palestinian unity. Barhoum’s statement added, however, that Palestinian legitimacy comes from elections in accordance with the law, indicating they would not tolerate measures that sought to bypass the democratic system.
The Palestinian representative at the meeting, PLO Chief Negotiator Saeb Erekat, was reported to have had strained relations with several other ministers over the decision to exclude a Hamas representative from the talks.
A Hamas-linked website, the Palestinian Information Center, accused Erekat of tainting the atmosphere at the meetings, especially with Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Al-Mu’allim, who had initially suggested Hamas be present for the meeting.
Al-Mu’allim was one of the most vociferous advocates for aid to Gazans, and impressed upon the group the need for Arab food aid and medical equipment to be introduced into the Gaza Strip through the Rafah crossing. The Syrian representative also indicated his belief that Abbas’ call for early elections might deepen internal Palestinian divisions.
Taking a different track Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abu Al-Gheit came out and blamed Hamas for the failure of the first round of reconciliation talks. He said "the government of President Mahmoud Abbas is the legitimate authority representing the Palestinian people,” and reiterated the need for all Palestinian factions to rally under Abbas’ control.
The overwhelming sentiment at the meeting was expressed by Saudi Foreign Minister Saud Al-Faisal in his opening speech to the meetings, where he stressed the need for factional reconciliation. “The internal crisis,” he said, “only harms Palestinians.”
Arabs send aid to Gaza by land and sea
Aid for Gaza from Qatar will reach the area in the coming days and a Libyan aid ship is set to dock in the Gaza City port on Monday, according to Head of the popular committee against the siege on Gaza, Jamal Al-Khudari on Thursday.
The two aid shipments are part of the initiative of the Arab Foreign Ministers meeting held Wednesday in Cairo. Al-Khudari commended the decision to send aid, but said the delegates should have collectively decided to end the siege on Gaza and open the Rafah crossing.
