Though the Arab Spring inflamed in Tunisia is increasingly casting blows to Arab protestors, there is promising news amidst of concerns at the prospective. The waft of the spring has not left Palestine out of the circle. There were protests held in Gaza as well as West Bank bearing similar characteristics as those of Tunisia, Egypt, Libya and etc. Months ago, thousands of Palestinians hammered the streets of Gaza city asking Hammas militants and Fatah group to join hands after years of controversy sparked by forcing Mahmmud Abbas-led Fatah out of Gaza strip by rival Hammas in 2006.
On Thursday, Hammas and Fatah agreed to form a unified government, which will be sworn in by the end of January. The Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, and the Hammas leader, Khaled Meshaal, met in Cairo this week to agree on the groundbreaking deal after days of heated negotiation between representatives of Palestinian political groups led by Hamas and Fatah. During the talks, the two groups agreed to allow a Hammas representative to serve on a committee that will study the restructuring of the Fatah-dominated Palestine Liberation Organization, including perhaps PLO elections.
The agreement between two rival groups will strengthen Palestine state demand in the international sphere. Though PLO is recognized by more than hundred countries as true representative of Palestinians, it did not have control over all parts of the country——Gaza strip. Now after the agreement, the position of PLO would be strengthened.
But the agreement affects peace negotiation between Israel and Palestine. Israel has already warned that it would not negotiate if Hammas joins Fatah. Israel has worked closely with Fatah but constantly crushed Hammas militants on the basis of its so-called disturbing armed activities.
In addition, Hammas leaders still have not agreed on peaceful negotiation between Israel and Palestine.
Therefore, the agreement between two factions will affect the peaceful negotiation between Palestine and Israel and creates challenges ahead of diplomatic steps in short as well as long term.
But if PLO has reached into a conclusion that following the same past exhaustive peace negotiation would fail again and start trying new ways, then the agreement between two factions is indeed a credible card to be played in international sphere. Now PLO, with a broader control over the entire area that would comprise Palestine, emerges stronger to bargain with its international allies.