Fatah and Hamas Agree to Release Political Prisoners...

Following the collapse of Palestinian unity talks in June, Hamas and Fatah announced on Sunday after a meeting in Cairo that they have agreed to pursue steps toward reconciliation, including the release of political prisoners.

The two parties split four years ago after the international community boycotted the results of the Palestinian democratic national elections conducted in January 2006 and the...

subsequent eruption of political in-fighting, after which Hamas took control over the Gaza Strip.

After endorsing an Egyptian-brokered reconciliation agreement in May, the two Palestinian parties have been unable to agree on an interim unity government in order to prepare for elections tentatively slated for 2012.  The Palestinian Authority announced in July that West Bank elections would be held in October and blamed Hamas for causing roadblocks for preparing the vote in Gaza.

Though the main source of disagreement has been attributed to Fatah’s recommendation of Salam Fayyad as prime minister, other sources, such as Palestinian analyst Nassar Ibrahim, point to larger political divides, stating that any lasting reconciliation will require “an approach aimed at establishing a solid foundation that firmly addresses the root of the crisis: a contradiction between the two opposing strategies of the political parties.”

According to reports from Cairo, the political parties are now determined to resolve any remaining differences in order to achieve reconciliation and unity. Azzam Al-Ahmad, head of the Fatah delegation, described the meeting as “very successful,” and Hamas spokesman, Sami Abu Zami, said that the agreements on the prisoners reflected “the seriousness of both parties in implementing [a reconciliation plan].”

Fatah parliamentary deputy Ashraf Jomah reported that four committees will begin work next week to develop agreements surrounding the issue of prisoners, passports, social reconciliation and the institutions that were shut down in Gaza following the 2007 divide of the Palestinian territories. Since that time political prisoners have been taken on both sides and many services that the Palestinian Authority had previously provided in Gaza have been suspended.

Reports in circulation indicate that there are currently 70 Hamas members being detained in the West Bank and approximately 37 Fatah members in Gaza.  On Sunday evening it was announced that political prisoners would be released by the end of the holy month of Ramadan and processes would begin to help issue passports to Palestinians in Gaza.

Surrounding the controversy of the Palestinian UN-bid there has been some speculation that the timing of the reconciliation talks is related to hopes that a unified government will strengthen the bid for UN membership and recognition.

Though the issue of statehood is largely a symbolic one, critics say that with the deep rifts between the Palestinian political parties and the unpopularity of Hamas within the international community, a unified state is an impossible dream.

The Al Quds newspaper reported on Sunday that Fatah and Hamas have agreed to delay the discussions on forming a government until after September in order to allow the Palestinian leadership to focus on pursuing its UN bid this fall. However, it was reported elsewhere that a follow-up meeting between the two parties will be held in Cairo by the beginning of September.

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