Middle East Inside Line: Fatah-Hamas Talks; Israel's "Gesture" in the West Ban

Fatah and Hamas Reunification Talks: On Sunday, Hamas announced that it reached an agreement with its rival Fatah party to hold a meeting next week. The two groups were supposed to mee last week in Damascus, but tension between Syria's President Bashar Assad and Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas led to a cancellation, followed by a series of arrests by the rival parties in the Gaza and West Bank.

Though next week's venue is yet be declared, Salah Bardaweel, a Hamas legislator and spokesman in the Gaza Strip, said he did not rule out the possibility that the meeting would still be held in the Syrian capital:

Fatah leaders should not waste their time searching for similarities in the political platforms of Hamas and Fatah. The only thing we could have in common is not recognizing Israel’s existence.

In response, Osama Qawasmeh, a Fatah spokesman in the West Bank, said that Hamas was ready to recognize Israel’s existence if a Palestinian state were to be established in the entire West Bank, Gaza Strip, and eastern Jerusalem.

Potential IDF "Gestures" Awaiting Palestinians: The Israel Defense Forces is preparing for a change in its security arrangements in the West Bank, declaring the army will consider refraining from entry into Palestinian cities at will. 

Although the Palestinian Authority is responsible for security in the cities defined as Area A in the Oslo agreements --- Ramallah, Tul Karm, Qalqilyah, Nablus, Hebron, Bethlehem, Jenin and Jericho --- the IDF carry out arrest raids there almost every night. The raids usually are held without incident, and Palestinian security forces avoid contact with the Israeli troops.

The IDF is giving assurances that any change will not be at the expense of Israel's security. Haaretz reports one official's "guarantee": "The security organizations control the cities well and a terrorist who escapes into one of the cities will find it difficult to hide there."

Under orders from the Defense Ministry, the IDF has drawn up contingency plans for the transfer of security control over certain West Bank "Area B" sites, such as parts of Beitunya, el-Bireh and possibly even Bir Zeit, to the Palestinian Authority.

Fatah and Hamas Reunification Talks: On Sunday, Hamas announced that it reached an agreement with its rival Fatah party to hold a meeting next week. The two groups were supposed to mee last week in Damascus, but tension between Syria's President Bashar Assad and Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas led to a cancellation, followed by a series of arrests by the rival parties in the Gaza and West Bank.

Though next week's venue is yet be declared, Salah Bardaweel, a Hamas legislator and spokesman in the Gaza Strip, said he did not rule out the possibility that the meeting would still be held in the Syrian capital:

Fatah leaders should not waste their time searching for similarities in the political platforms of Hamas and Fatah. The only thing we could have in common is not recognizing Israel’s existence.

In response, Osama Qawasmeh, a Fatah spokesman in the West Bank, said that Hamas was ready to recognize Israel’s existence if a Palestinian state were to be established in the entire West Bank, Gaza Strip, and eastern Jerusalem.

Potential IDF "Gestures" Awaiting Palestinians: The Israel Defense Forces is preparing for a change in its security arrangements in the West Bank, declaring the army will consider refraining from entry into Palestinian cities at will. 

Although the Palestinian Authority is responsible for security in the cities defined as Area A in the Oslo agreements --- Ramallah, Tul Karm, Qalqilyah, Nablus, Hebron, Bethlehem, Jenin and Jericho --- the IDF carry out arrest raids there almost every night. The raids usually are held without incident, and Palestinian security forces avoid contact with the Israeli troops.

The IDF is giving assurances that any change will not be at the expense of Israel's security. Haaretz reports one official's "guarantee": "The security organizations control the cities well and a terrorist who escapes into one of the cities will find it difficult to hide there."

Under orders from the Defense Ministry, the IDF has drawn up contingency plans for the transfer of security control over certain West Bank "Area B" sites, such as parts of Beitunya, el-Bireh and possibly even Bir Zeit, to the Palestinian Authority.