Fatah - Hamas unity agreement: What agreement??

The Fatah and Hamas agreement that the world is talking about, in which Hamas supposedly agree to "respect" or "honor" previous agreements, has not been made public, it seems.

 

On Riyadh Al-Ikhbariyah Satellite TV - an official Saudi Arabian News channel, two documents were read out by Nabil Amr, the Palestinian authority media advisor, at the conclusion of the Mecca meeting between Mahmoud Abbas for Fatah PLO and Ismail Haniyeh of the Hamas.

 

There is possibly a third "detailed" agreement, but nobody knows what it is.

 

The first document is an announcement of an agreement, that refers to a detailed agreement. It says nothing at all about any of the conditions of the quartet regarding recognition of Israel's right to exist or cessation of violence against Israel. It is full of references to Jerusalem. The content of the detailed agreement is not known.

The second document is a letter from Mahmoud Abbas to Ismail Haniyeh, charging him to form a government. It says only:

 

"From this premise, I call upon you to respect the resolutions of international legitimacy and the agreements signed by the PLO."

 

There is no explicit undertaking by Hamas even to that watered down formula, only a call by Abbas.  

 

If there is a detailed undertaking, it seems it was not made public as yet.

 

Ami Isseroff

 

---

The first statment:

1910 GMT 08 Feb 07

[Text of Palestinian agreement, read out by Nabil Amr, media adviser
to the Palestinian Authority president, in Mecca -- live]

In the Name of God,  the Merciful, the Compassionate,

"Glory to God who did take His servant for a journey by night from the sacred mosque to the farthest mosque whose precincts we did bless." [Qur'anic verse]

Based on the noble initiative announced by Custodian of the Two Holy Places King Abdallah Bin-Abd-al-Aziz, king of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and under his majesty's generous auspices, Palestinian dialogues of accord and agreement were held in holy Mecca between
Fatah and HAMAS 19-21 Muharram 1428 Hegira, corresponding to 6-8February 2007.  With God's help, these dialogues achieved success, as agreement was reached on the following:

First, stressing the sanctity of Palestinian blood and taking all steps to prevent bloodshed, while emphasizing the importance of national unity as a basis for national steadfastness and resistance against the occupation, in addition to achieving legitimate national aims of the Palestinian people and espousing the language of dialogue as the sole foundation for resolving political disagreements on the Palestinian scene.  In this context, we offer our profound gratitude to the brothers in sisterly Egypt and the Egyptian security delegation
in Gaza, who exerted great efforts to pacify the situation in the sector recently.

Second, agreeing on forming a Palestinian national unity government in accordance with a detailed agreement approved by the two parties, and urgently take the constitutional procedures to bolster it.

Third, proceeding with developing and re-forming the PLO and speeding up the preliminary committee's work in accordance with the Cairo and Damascus understandings.  And agreement was reached on detailed steps between the two sides in this connection.

Fourth, stressing the political partnership principle on the basis of the laws applied by the Palestinian National Authority and political pluralism, based on an agreement endorsed by the two sides.  While we announce this agreement to our Palestinian masses, the masses of our Arab and Islamic nation, all friends worldwide, we emphasize our commitment to it, in letter and spirit, in order to focus on achieving our national aims, getting rid of the occupation, restoring our rights,  and focusing on the main issues, first and foremost the Jerusalem and refugee issues,  Al-Aqsa Mosque issue, the prisoners issue, the detainees issue, and tackling the [security] fence and settlement issue.

It is God who grants success.

Holy Mecca, 21 Muharram 1428 Hegira, corresponding  to 8 February 2007.

May God's peace be upon you.

---

PA Chief Statement On Commissioning HAMAS' Isma'il Haniyah to Form Government

1915 GMT 08 Feb 07

[Text of statement read by Nabil Amr, Palestinian Authority President's media adviser, in Mecca--live]

In the name of God The Merciful, The Compassionate

A letter of authorization to form a government.

Your Excellency Isma'il Abd-al-Salam Haniyyah, greetings:

As head of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization [PLO] and president of the Palestinian National Authority and following perusal of the basic law and according to the authority that we have:

1.  We commission you to form the next Palestinian government within the designated period in the basic law.

2. Following the formation of government and after presenting it to us, it will be presented to the Legislative Council to get a vote of confidence.

3.  As head of the next government, I call upon you to be committed to the higher interests of the Palestinian people, protect their rights, preserve their achievements and develop them, work to realize their national rights as agreed in the national councils' decisions, the articles of the basic law, the National Accord Document, and the Arab summits' resolutions.  From this premise, I call upon you to respect the resolutions of international legitimacy and the agreements signed by the PLO.

May God make you succeed and guide you to the path of goodness.

[Signed] Mahmud Abbas, head of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization and president of the Palestinian National Authority.