Statements by Fatah and Hamas warn of a new war

Khaled Meshaal (L), Mahmoud Abbas (R) Ramallah – Sona Al-Deak The frequency of mutual accusations between Fatah and Hamas, in regards to halting internal duistrust has increased, which is foreshadowing the failure of the efforts being made to for the reconiliation tallks. Hamas accused partie which are controlled by Fatah  of obstructing the reconciliation talks, while the latter has said that Hamas fears the reconciliation attempts for the sake of their interests.
The two movements signed a new agreement in Cairo on Sunday May 20, implementing the start of consultations to form a national consensus government. The agreement was intended to allow the Central Election Commission to update the voter registers in the Gaza Strip, to activate the work of freedoms committee, and to set  a date for general elections with the various factions.
Adnan Damery, Political Commissioner General and official spokesman for the security institution, said Thursday that statements by the leaders of Hamas in Gaza, especially during the graduation of the officers, are aimed at blocking the efforts of national reconciliation.
Damery said, in a press statement: “the declaration of some leaders in Hamas about the establishment of an Islamic emirate in Gaza and the setting up of the police festival as a date for the coup is a clear disruption of national unity. Fathi Hammad ‘s declaration (no reconciliation with secular) contrasts not only with the reconciliation, but also with the basic Palestinian law and with the positions of Muslim Brotherhood in all Arab countries, which support the slogan of civil state in their own countries. Hamas’s attitude is consistent with the efforts of the occupation government to declare a Palestinian state in the Gaza Strip only and to isolate it completely from the Palestinian people and Palestinian legitimacy.”
He added that the positions of Hamas is a blow to reconciliation efforts which President Abbas wants to complete in order to hold  democratic elections that give the citizens the right to express their opinions freely and fairly, as well as to elect the political leadership.
He affirmed that Hamas’s decision to grant military soldiers the rank of officers, contradicts the service law of security forces No. 8, which confirms that granting an officer a degree is the jurisdiction of the Supreme Commander who is President Abbas.
He was surprised that Hamas’s leaders dedicated the police graduation session to the Comptroller General of the Muslim Brotherhood in Jordan, saying:  “customs and traditions of the Palestinian military should be dedicated to our martyrs.”
Hamas’s deputy in the Palestinian Legislative Council, has accused parties in the Palestinian Authority of hindering reconciliation, criticising the escalation of political arrests by the security services in the West Bank, especially in Tulkarm city.
Deputy Qaraawi said in a press statement: "These arrests coincide with the continuous talk about optimism for reconciliation; this confirms that there are parties in power who want to hinder reconciliation."
The two movements exchange accusations on a daily basis concerning the arrest of their members in the West Bank and Gaza Strip by theeach other's security forces.
National Liberation Movement (Fatah) described the decision of Hamas to consider “the coup” as a national holiday for the police and security services as a “black day" in the history of the Palestinian people, and a new reversal in the progress made in the Palestinian reconciliation talks and a retreat from the Cairo agreements and Doha Declaration.
Ahmed Assaf, a spokesman for the movement, said: "The decision of Hamas' leader Ismail Haniyeh to consider the anniversary of the coup as a national holiday for the police is the day when Hamas split the national unity and violated the sanctity of our land and the sanctity of Palestinian blood".
The Fourteenth of June coincides with the sixth anniversary of the internal Palestinian division, when Hamas gained control of the Gaza Strip and expelled the security forces of the Palestinian Authority led.
Palestinian rights organisations have called for the reconciliation talks to resume.
Nabil Shaath, a member of Fatah's Central Committee of Fatah, said that the date of the meeting between Mahmoud Abbas and head of the Political Bureau of Hamas, Khaled Meshaal, has been postponed until after June 20, because of the situation in Egypt and the importance of consultation with the Egyptians. Shaath did not specify a new date for the meeting.
Political analyst, Hani Habib, said that the split page must be addressed and must not be allowed to continue, as the only beneficiary is Israel.
Habib said in a press statement Thursday that the atmosphere of the reconciliation talks are positive, hoping to exert more effort to implement the reconciliation because the Palestinian people’s hopes were dashed more than once.
Habib pointed out that Palestinian public opinion did not play its full role in putting pressure on the Palestinian leaders to implement the reconciliation plans, and he called for a greater urgency to speed up the talks.