Azerbaijan, Baku, May 6 / Trend, A. Taghiyeva /
Fatah and Hamas reconciliation will not create conditions for a peaceful settlement of the Arab-Israeli conflict, on the contrary, will worsen the relations between Israel and Palestine, Palestinian Maan News agency director Nasser Lahham believes.
"This reconciliation holds Palestine away from the settlement of the conflict with Israel," Lahham told Trend over the phone from Ramallah.
A signing ceremony of the agreement on intra-Palestinian reconciliation between the Palestinian political movements was held in Cairo on May 4. The ceremony was attended by the Palestinian National Authority head Mahmoud Abbas, Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal, the Fatah head, as well as representatives of Arab League member countries, the Arab League Secretary General Amr Moussa, the head of the European diplomacy Catherine Ashton, the OIC Secretary General Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu and the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon's special envoy. The document on intra-Palestinian reconciliation was signed nearly four years after Hamas seized power in Gaza Strip.
The HAMAS movement seized power in the Gaza Strip in 2007 leading to its isolation from the West bank of the Jordan River, which is controlled by the Palestinian Authority and headed by Mahmoud Abbas.
In mid-March 2011 Abbas stated his willingness to visit the enclave and to begin the settlement of the internecine conflict. HAMAS has promised to take all necessary measures so that such a visit could take place.
FATAH and HAMAS could not reach a consensus on forming a Palestinian government, separation of powers, ensuring security, terms and order of holding presidential and parliamentary elections.
Lahham said Israel's negative attitude to Fatah and Hamas's reconciliation proves that Tel Aviv is not going to settle the conflict peacefully.
"Israel stated that reconciliation between the two Palestinian movements will adversely affect the peaceful settlement of the conflict. So why has Tel Aviv made no attempt to resolve the Arab-Israeli conflict peacefully within four years of discord between Fatah and Hamas?" he said.
The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the signing of the agreement between the two major political Palestinian movements Hamas and Fatah on Wednesday in Cairo.
"What happened today in Cairo is a serious blow to the peace treaty and the great victory of terrorist forces," Netanyahu told journalists.
In late April, Netanyahu has declared that the Palestinians cannot hope for the peace talks if they make peace with Hamas.
Professor of the Free University of Berlin Hajo Funke believes that Israel is pursuing confusing policy on resolving the Arab-Israeli conflict.
He said that Israel's attitude towards Hamas's presence in the Palestinian government contradicts earlier statements made by Tel Aviv that unity inside the country is necessary to improve Arab-Israeli relations and recognize the Palestinian state.
"It's kind of confusing policies of the Israeli government, and it will not lead to better relations," Funke told Trend over phone from Berlin.
He stressed that Abbas's government should find a compromise with both the Israeli government, and with Hamas, otherwise it will create many problems and may even lead to wars in the region and change the situation in the Middle East for the worse.
"ФАТХ должно вести более гибкую политику в отношении ХАМАС и Израиля", - добавил он.
"Fatah should pursue a more flexible policy towards Hamas and Israel," he added.
A.Badalova contributed to the article.
