Fatah-Israel talks bad for reconciliation

The leader of the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas, Ismail Radwan, has said there will be no headway in the political reconciliation with West Bank-based Fatah in talks with Palestinian Authority leader President Mahmoud Abbas. Radwan denounced in an exclusive interview with Arabstoday the announcement of Abbas’ readiness to meet with the head of the centre-right Kadima Party, Shaul Mofaz, to re-ignite stalled negotiations. Radwan said: "Instead of holding these meetings with the Zionist occupation, it is better for the PA to resume dialogue with its own people, and to apply terms of reconciliation on the ground, as agreed on in Cairo meetings recently.” Radwan stated that there are no new developments in the Palestinian reconciliation, and there are no arrangements or contacts for new meetings as rumoured before the Eid al-Fitr holiday. "The ball in Fatah’s court. They have to deal seriously with the file and not to evade their responsibility by resuming meetings with the occupation," he said. Adwan refused to hold "meetings that disrupt the reconciliation process, come at the expense of the blood of the Palestinian martyrs, and help the [Israeli] settlements and 'Judaisation' operations". Radwan was surprised at this meeting with the Mofaz whom he alleged "always threatens the Palestinian people", calling him a war criminal wanted in a number of national and international courts. "This meeting will give legitimacy to the Zionist war criminals to escape from national and international criminal courts. Abbas is trapped to slide back in negotiation projects again," he said. He explained that the meeting showed a serious setback by Abbas and the PA, in response to US and Israeli pressure, adding: "The meeting will be at the expense of the Palestinian people, and the Occupation will use it as a cover for more crimes and Judaisation". Senior Palestinian sources revealed that Mahmoud Abbas insisted on holding a meeting with Mofaz, especially after the latter’s announcement that he had a new peace plan to move the negotiation process between the two sides, to which Abbas looks forward. Radwan also opposed  Fatah’s statements that the "ABCs of the reconciliation was not available in the Dictionary of  Hamas in Gaza", replying: "These statements are to draw away from the reconciliation, and to put the blame on the other party [Hamas]. A commitment that has been agreed upon is required without new conditions." A spokesperson for the Fatah movement, Osama al-Qawasmi, said in a press statement on Wednesday: "The reconciliation and national unity need to implement what is agreed upon and not depend on empty, useless statements. The ABCs and principles of reconciliation, which are represented in sincere intentions, political will and upholding the interests of the nation and the people above personal or partisan interests, are not available to the leaders of Hamas, specifically in Gaza." Radwan pointed  out that Egypt had  promised to open the Rafah border crossing in both directions next week, explaining that  the delay was due to administrative reasons. Radwan stressed the need to apply improvements promised by Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi on the crossing, in order to facilitate the travel of residents of Gaza Strip through the only gate for Gaza to the world. Radwan added: “Egypt has the right to expand its sovereignty over all its territory and borders, however, these security measures must not lead to a crackdown on Palestinian citizens." “The movement calls to permanently open the Rafah crossing and to provide the facilities promised by the Egyptian President Dr Mohammed Morsi during a meeting with the Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh in Cairo," he continued. Radwan stated: “Our movement is making efforts to cooperate with our brothers in Egypt, and it shows its eagerness to reach the truth to confirm that the Zionist enemy is the only beneficiary of the recent crime that occurred in the Sinai peninsula {in which 16 Egyptian soldiers were killed) as well as to prove that Israel is the major perpetrator, even if the tools which were used were cheap." Radwan called on the media to "be cautious in dealing with false news and rumours promoted by some biased sources to distort the image of Hamas and the Palestinian government, and to plant wedges between the movement and Egypt".