Palestinian Authority to discuss Rafah crossing with Egypt

Guards monitor Rafah border crossing Gaza – Mohammed Habib The Palestinian Authority (PA) has opened talks with Egyptian officials for a presence at the Rafah crossing, despite strong opposition from Gaza-based Hamas, Arab Today has learnt. It comes amid reports that the West Bank governing body would hold legislative and presidential elections without Hamas, after the failure of Palestinian reconciliation.
Political sources told Arab Today that the PA is considering a number of proposals in relation to holding elections in Gaza, and may even declare the territory a rebel sector, cutting the funding which forms part of Hamas\' budget.
Speaking on Friday, senior Fatah official Azzam al-Ahmad, who is responsible for dealing with Hamas on reconciliation, said that the group had failed to cooperate with Fatah in relation to the formation of a national consensus government, and dates of legislative and presidential elections.
Ahmad told a radio station that Fatah \"will not be dictated to by Hamas,\"  and claimed that the PA would take \"decisive and painful decisions.\"
The Fatah official revealed that the West Bank body may even bypass agreements signed with ?Hamas. \"We need to take firm decisions to overcome the current division, which the Hamas ?movement has imposed over the people of Gaza.\"
\"We will wait to see how events in Egypt pan out over the next few days\" he added, expressing hope that the situation settles down.
Ahmad accused the Hamas movement of avoiding concrete reconciliation talks. He disclosed ?that there was an agreement to hold a joint meeting on June 30, but the developments in Egypt ?meant the event had to be postponed.
?\"We took the initiative and contacted Hamas. I personally called [Hamas official] Moussa Abu Marzouk ?and told him that Fatah is ready to hold the meeting wherever he wants. He promised to reply within three days, but didn\'t do so and instead spread false statements about Fatah and Egypt\'s interim government in the media. This only escalated ?the situation and strained the atmosphere further,\" Ahmad explained.?
The senior Fatah member said that Hamas is not ready for reconciliation, and is using the excuse of peace talks with Israel to delay any negotiations.
Meanwhile, Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum responded to Ahmad\'s remarks that the PA would make unilateral decisions, by stating that the faction seeks to distract the Palestinian people from its conspiracy of \"selling out on the Palestinian cause\" to Israel.
In a statement, Barhoum said Fatah\'s statements are part of a plot put together in collaboration with US and Israeli authorities in Amman, to cover up what happens in negotiations by launching a political war against Hamas.
The Hamas representative argued that Fatah has nothing to offer the Palestinian people, and it seeks to drag Hamas into its internal crisis in the West Bank.
\"Fatah wants to distract the Palestinian people from the negotiations with Israel, during which it will give up on Palestinian land and ?rights,\" he said.?
Barhoum also rebuffed Ahmad\'s claim that Hamas failed to hold a reconciliation meeting in June. \"Fatah hasn\'t come to the table with any concrete proposals, and if reconciliation means selling the Palestinian state, then why should we reconcile?\"?
The Hamas official reiterated that the Palestinian people will not accept reconciliation with those ?who seek to exploit their rights, and care about nothing other than Israel\'s security.?
On Thursday, the Palestinian government in Gaza said that Fatah had totally abandoned ?reconciliation efforts.
Hamas spokesman Ihab al-Ghosein wrote on his Facebook page that President Mahmoud Abbas would hold legislative and presidential ?elections only in the West Bank. He accused the movement of having signed a deal with Israel in this regard.
Ghosein said that Hamas had already ?done its bit by ending the electoral roll registration in Gaza, in a bid to work with West Bank authorities.
Another Hamas official, Sami Abu Zuhri, described Fatah member Ahmad\'s statements as \"meaningless,\" adding that the group wants to \"start a battle with Hamas.\"
Meanwhile, Hamas member Salah al-Bardawil accused Fatah of choosing occupation over reconciliation, by resuming negotiations with Israel. Bardawil said that Ahmad\'s threats can only be interpreted as supporting the imposition of a ?blockade on Gaza, with the participation of Israel and other parties.?
From Barhoum