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Fatah Proposal Aims at Weakening Control of Hamas over Gaza Strip: Experts

Politics Materials 14 July 2008 11:22 (UTC +04:00)
Fatah Proposal Aims at Weakening Control of Hamas over Gaza Strip: Experts

Azerbaijan, Baku, 11 July / Trend , corr U. Sadigova, E. Tanriverdiyeva/ The plans of the Palestinian administration led by Mahmud Abbas to deploy forces in Gaza strip probably aims at strengthening the position of ruling Fatah rather than restoring control in the region as Fatah says. "Within this context, the leaders of Fatah are trying to project a sense of unity between all the Palestinians and expand their rule to Gaza Strip," Gawdat Bahgat, analyst of the Pennsylvania University of US said.

The Palestinian Premier Salam Faiad said on 9 July that most active measures should be taken to restore control of the Palestinian administration over Gaza strip, Reuters reported. Fayad offered to deploy security forces of the Arab countries in the region for the time being.

Premier said that the split between Hamas and Fatah has deepened for the last year which impedes the unity of the Palestinians and aggravated situation in the region.

'The fact that Palestinian government is willing to enter Gaza strip does not mean that it wants to seize it," Ziyad Abu Ein, official representative of Fatah said to Trend . "Fatah wants to restore law and order in Gaza strip by any means. It does not mean that the national government will to harm the Palestinians because of its own ambitions," Abu Ein said.

The territory of Palestine including Gaza sector is under the legal competence of the Palestinian government which obliges Fatah to provide the security of people living there, Abu Ein said on a telephone from Ramallah on 11 July.

According to Abu Ein, there are already united forces of the occupiers in Gaza strip such as Hamas and Islamic Jihad which can not insure security of the Palestinians. "Neither Hamas nor Islamic Jihad do not observe any international principles or that of Arab world," Ein said.

"This statement will not have any impact on the Palestinian-Israeli truce as this dialogue is solved on all-Palestinian level," Abu Ein said.

According to the US political expert Francis Boyle, obviously, these are trial balloons that are part of the behind the scenes negotiations to re-establish a Government of National Unity among the Palestinians.

"I doubt very seriously Hamas would give up its de facto control over Gaza though Fatah wants to restore its control there with the support of Israel and US," Boyle, expert of Illinois University said to Trend by electronic mail on 11 July.

According to Bahgat, Mahmud Abbas understands that President Bush and Premier Ehud Olmert are not able to render enough support for Fatah. The Bush administration is in its last six months and the president is increasingly unpopular. Meanwhile, the Israeli prime minister if fighting corruption accusations and many analysts believe his days in office are numbered, Bahgat, analyst of the Center for Middle Eastern Studies of Pennsylvania University of US said to Trend .

According to Boyle, the Israelis and the Americans would love it if some type of so-called Arab Peace Keeping Force would occupy Gaza in order to repress the Palestinians there for them. "That is also why Israel would like to get a NATO force on the West Bank in order to do their dirty work for them," expert said.

According to Bahgat, the proposal to send Arab troops to Gaza has yet to be tested. Equally important, no Arab country has committed itself to send troops. In other words, many details need to be worked out.

On 14 December 1987, the Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas was founded by the Sheik Ahmad Yasin to liberate occupied Palestinian lands. Its attitude toward Fatah strictly deteriorated after the victory in 2006 parliament elections. At present, Gaza is fully controlled by Hamas.

The Fatah movement was founded in 1956; its historical leader is Yasir Arafat (Abu Ammar). At present, the movement is run by Mahmud Abbas.

The correspondent can be contacted at: [email protected]

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