Re: [Marxism] Times report suggests likelihood of arrangement between Fatah and Hamas

[Marvin Gandall <marvgandall@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Fred wrote:

> While I think Hamas could do more to foster unity, the main pressure will
> be on
> Fatah, because their strategy of giving Dahlan -- and Israel and the
> United
> States -- a free hand against Hamas has blown up in their faces...Gaza's
> economic need for collaboration with the rest of the Palestinians is only
> one part of the equation. The political factors favoring another
> accommodation with Hamas are as strong, if not stronger.

[...]
=================================
(The initial signs - the outlawing of Hamas' militia, Hamas' declaration
that the new Abbas-appointed government is "illegal", and the Israeli fuel
blockade - point in the other direction.)

Abbas swears in emergency Cabinet
By KARIN LAUB
ASSOCIATED PRESS
June 17 2007

RAMALLAH, West Bank -- Ignoring Hamas' vehement protests, Palestinian
President Mahmoud Abbas on Sunday swore in a new government without his
political rivals, outlawed Hamas militias and said he'll push hard for a
restoration of foreign aid to the Palestinians after a punishing 15-month
boycott.

The blockade of Hamas-ruled Gaza intensified, meanwhile, as Israel halted
fuel shipments. A run on fuel, bread and other basic supplies intensified,
driving the price of a box of Marlboro cigarettes - a reliable gauge of
shortages - up by a third.

Hamas seized control of Gaza last week after five days of intense fighting
against forces loyal to Abbas' Fatah. The takeover prompted Abbas to
dissolve a Fatah-Hamas coalition government and appoint a new Cabinet
excluding the Islamic group.

The hurried swearing-in ceremony of the new Cabinet left the Palestinians
effectively with two governments - the Hamas leadership headed by deposed
Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh in Gaza and the new Cabinet led by the
Western-backed economist Salam Fayyad in the West Bank.

"The first priority of our government is security and the security
situation," Fayyad told reporters. "The mission will be difficult and hard,
but not impossible."

Fayyad, an independent, will retain his post as finance minister and also
serve as foreign minister in the emergency government. The small Cabinet is
dominated by independents, including human rights activists and business
people.

In his speech, Fayyad stressed that the government represented Palestinians
in the West Bank and Gaza. The Palestinians claim both areas for a state,
but the internal strife has endangered that goal.

Addressing the Palestinians in Gaza, he said: "You are in our hearts, and
the top of our agenda. The dark images, the shameful things that are alien
to our traditions ... are not going to stop us." It is "time to work
together for Palestine," he said.

Abbas cleared the way for the Cabinet to take power by issuing a decree that
annulled a law requiring the government to be approved by parliament, which
is dominated by Hamas. He also issued a decree outlawing Hamas' militias
"due to their military coup against the Palestinian legitimacy and its
institutions."

However, Abbas' attempts to assert control only deepened the Palestinian
divisions. In Gaza, Haniyeh called the new government illegal and insisted
he remains in power. "The national unity government asserts here that we are
fulfilling our duty according to our law," he said.

In the showdown, much of the international community, including the U.S.,
the European Union and moderate Arab states, is backing Abbas. Declarations
of support were likely to be followed soon by a resumption of foreign aid to
the Palestinian Authority, which was cut when Hamas took office last year.
The sanctions have caused widespread suffering in the Palestinian areas.

"The first goal we are working to achieve is to end the siege and have a
unique relationship with all the nations," Abbas said after swearing in the
new Cabinet.

Both Israel and the United States already have said they will work to
bolster Abbas, while isolating Hamas. The U.S., EU and Israel consider
Hamas, which has killed hundreds of Israelis in suicide bombings, a
terrorist group.

At the outset of a trip to the U.S., Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said
the new Palestinian government would create a "new opportunity" for reviving
peace talks. "We will act with all our might not to miss this opportunity,"
Olmert said. The situation in Gaza is expected to dominate Olmert's meeting
at the White House on Tuesday.

In an interview Sunday, the top U.S. diplomat in Jerusalem said that
Washington will fully support Abbas' new government and resume aid. But he
acknowledged the moderate president has lost his influence over Gaza,
clouding the prospects for a resumption of peace making.

"We're not going to lose sight of the need to begin a process between Israel
and the Palestinians to resolve the fundamental problems, but before we can
do that I think we need to get the (Palestinian) house in order first,"
Consul General Jacob Walles told the Associated Press.

The isolation of Gaza has raised fears of a humanitarian crisis, because its
borders have been closed by Israel and Egypt.

In Gaza, panicked residents stocked up, fearing growing shortages of food,
fuel and other staples.

With cigarette prices soaring, sandwich seller Mohammed Sheik said he bought
half a pack of the cheap locally made "Jamal" brand. He tried to pace
himself because it might be his last.

The Israeli fuel company Dor Alon said Sunday it was cutting of fuel
supplies immediately to Gaza's gas stations. The company is the sole
provider of gasoline to Gaza.

Dor Alon will continue to ship fuel to Gaza's electricity power plant, the
company said, but about 30 percent of Gazans have been cut off from the
electric grid because of infrastructure damage caused by the fighting, and
they rely upon generators for power.

Shipments into the territory dried up during last week's fighting, and
workers at Gaza's only fuel warehouse said reserves had already run out.
Palestinian health officials warned the fuel shortage could immobilize
ambulances and prevent food and medicine deliveries.

"The results will be Gaza in full darkness, with no cars," said Asef Hamdi,
a worker at a Gaza gas station. Palestinian official Saeb Erekat appealed to
Israel and the international community not to cut off supplies to Gaza.
"Residents must not be punished for the bloody coup staged by Hamas," he
said.

Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Mark Regev said Israel was aware of the
humanitarian dangers facing the Gaza Strip. "No one, including Israel, wants
to accentuate hardship that already exists in Gaza as a result of the
internal conflict," he said. But he said Israel has not yet figured out a
way to deal with the Hamas rulers of Gaza.

Meanwhile, about 300 Gazans remained trapped at the Erez border crossing
with Israel, hoping to escape Hamas rule, Israeli officials said. Nervous
pro-Fatah security officials at the border ordered cameramen not to film
their faces, as children slept on their mother's laps and on the floor.

Israel said it was only letting the staff of international organizations,
people with special permission and humanitarian cases to cross. The
restrictions have created a chaotic scene at the terminal.

"We aren't allowed to let them in," said military spokesman Shlomo Dror.

Israeli Channel 2 TV showed scenes of women and children stranded at the
terminal. "We want to enter Israel. If they don't, Hamas will slaughter us,"
an old woman screamed hysterically.

In southern Gaza, meanwhile, 15 members of Hamas' militia guarded the empty
Rafah border crossing into Egypt. Officials said about 100 people remained
stranded on the Egyptian side of the border, waiting to return to Gaza. Most
of the people are Fatah men who fled during the infighting, and Egypt has
refused to grant them refuge.

More than 50 people have returned to Gaza in the past two days after
receiving promises of amnesty from Hamas.

---

AP correspondents Sarah El Deeb and Diaa Hadid in Gaza City, Gaza Strip,
contributed to this article.



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