Hamas remains the obstacle

an interview with   Sufyan Abu Zaida

BI: It seems that the Egyptian mediation is stuck. Is that a correct reading of the situation?

Abu Zaida: I think Cairo has no option except to continue to try and find a way to mediate. Fateh did its job. We did what the Egyptians asked us, in spite of our reservations and the corrections that the Egyptians added or deleted. On the other hand, while Egypt accepted all the Hamas notes about the document, Hamas continues to reject the document.

I think the Egyptians are waiting until after the Eid al-Adha holiday before deciding whether to declare publicly that their mediation is at an end and point the finger at Hamas, or continue. I think it is in the interest of the region generally for them to continue their efforts.

BI: You mentioned the amendments to the document. Hamas are claiming these are changes that were not agreed...

Abu Zaida: It's a pretext. If you remember after the Goldstone report, Hamas said the time was wrong to sign a unity agreement. But once the Goldstone report disappeared from public attention, Hamas found another excuse not to sign.

BI: Do you expect Egypt will have success? Both Fateh and Hamas claim that national unity is their top priority, yet positions remain far apart.

Abu Zaida: Everyone has different ideas about what they mean by Palestinian unity. Hamas, for example, means that it wants to control the Palestinian people, cause and direction.

BI: So Egypt needs to pressure Hamas?

Abu Zaida: Yes.

BI: What can Cairo do?

Abu Zaida: It depends how far Cairo is ready to go. Egypt can do a lot.

BI: Will Hamas eventually sign?

Abu Zaida: No, I don't think so.

BI: So there will be elections in January?

Abu Zaida: I doubt that. The next steps of Mahmoud Abbas will directly and very seriously affect the entire Palestinian legal and political system. So that depends on what he decides to do.

Palestinians can live with his stated desire not to run again in the next elections. Nobody is sure the next elections will come any time soon, so he could remain in his position for some time. But if he decides to resign, including as the head of Fateh and the PLO, that will pose a real problem for the Palestinians and the region.

BI: Do you think he will resign?

Abu Zaida: I think he could. If he reaches the conclusion that enough is enough, yes.

BI: What are these serious effects?

Abu Zaida: It threatens the collapse of the Palestinian Authority and the entire Palestinian political system established after Oslo.

BI: Would no one stand in his stead?

Abu Zaida: It's not a question of personalities. In Fateh, a new leader can be found, but in the PLO it will be difficult, because the chairman has to be elected from the PNC. Equally, the PA president needs to be chosen in elections and it is not yet clear that these can happen.- Published 12/11/2009 © bitterlemons-international.org

Sufyan Abu Zaida is a member of Fateh and a former Palestinian Authority minister.