Palestinian Movements Set to Sign Reconciliation Deal

The Palestinian groups Hamas and Fatah, the former being the governing authority in Gaza and the latter in the West Bank, are set to sign a reconciliation deal brokered by Egyptian officials.

Whilst some reports are indicating that Hamas, angered by the decision of Palestinian president and Fatah leader Mahmoud Abbas to delay a vote by the UN on the Goldstone report, is still considering the details of the deal put forward by Egypt the Earth Times quotes an official of Hamas, named as Mushir el-Masri, as saying that the movement will sign the deal "for the sake of the highest Palestinian national interests". The Goldstone report primarily accuses Israel of war crimes during its occupation of Gaza in January, known as Operation Cast Lead. However the report also accuses Hamas of committing war crimes of its own. If ratification by both parties is eventually agreed, and Al Jazeera confirms that Fatah has announced its intention to sign the deal, a formal ceremony would be held in Cairo on October 25. When the deal is concluded Hamas and Fatah will continue to govern Gaza and the West Bank in the same manner as they are at present. Both parties would then help form a committee that would oversee the preparations for elections to be held on June 28 2010. Those elections would see Palestinians voting on a new President, a new Parliament and representatives to sit on the Palestinian National Council. In order to resolve differences between Hamas and Fatah regarding the voting system to be used in future elections Egyptian officials have proposed that district representatives take up 25 percent of the seats in the Palestinian parliament, with the remaining 75 percent of the seats being filled by proportional representation. Such an arrangement may be modified after the 2010 elections. Other responsibilities of the committee, headed up by President Abbas and having as some of its members officials from smaller political parties and independents, include the supervision of buildings destroyed during the Israeli occupation of Gaza in January and the reopening of public institutions in Gaza, closed as a result of the occupation. Another important aspect of the deal that it is hoped will end two years of tension and often violence between Hamas and Fatah is the security situation in Gaza. According to Al Jazeera a 3000-strong force recruited from the various groups who seek to represent the Palestinian people would be trained by Egypt and other Arab countries and then assume responsibility for security in the territory.