Fatah Official Warns Israel-Hamas Deals Lead to Establishment of a Statelet

Arab World

December 2nd, 12:19pm

Ramallah - Asharq Al-Awsat

Palestinian fishermen ride their boats as they return from fishing at the seaport of Gaza City. Reuters file photo

Recent truce agreements between Israel and Hamas as well as statements of Israeli ministers on the establishment of a port off the Gaza Strip are a sign on continued attempts to establish a state within the state in the Palestinian territory, said Fatah Central Committee member Hussein al-Sheikh. He warned that the possible establishment of the State of Gaza aims "to kill the project of the Palestinian state ... and consecrate the occupation in Jerusalem and the West Bank." Israeli Defense Minister Naftali Bennett has instructed his army chiefs to carry out a security feasibility study on the possibility of establishing an artificial port and airport in Gaza, according to Channel 12. Last week, Bennett met with Israeli Foreign Minister Yisrael Katz, who originally suggested the idea of a seaport off the coast of Gaza. It is assumed that the army will submit, within a maximum period of eight weeks, an assessment paper in this regard, which will cover the military and security aspects. The idea of establishing the seaport was repeatedly discussed in the agreements between Israel and Hamas, however, Tel Aviv linked it to agreeing on advanced stages, including the issue of prisoners and detainees held by Hamas. Egypt has been working for years on a long-term truce in the territory, but multiple rounds of clashes have caused setbacks. Israel deals with Hamas as the government of Gaza, although it says it does not sign agreements with “terrorist” organizations. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday, at the start of the weekly cabinet meeting, Hamas is responsible for attacks on Israel launched from Gaza because it rules the territory. Netanyahu added that one of the fundamental concepts of what was once called ‘international law’ was that a government was responsible for its territory, in the sense that it was responsible for any offensive action from its territory against another country. “We act according to this principle.” Meanwhile, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and Islamic Jihad Sec-Gen Ziyad al-Nakhalah are due to arrive in Cairo this week for talks with Egyptian officials. Channel 13 announced that these visits come within the framework of progress in negotiations with the Israelis on the comprehensive truce. Fatah warned of the dangers of such deals secretly and publicly concluded by Hamas with the far-right government, and the US administration, wondering if a particular organization can conduct agreements on behalf of the entire Palestinian people. Fatah issued a statement Sunday condemning Hamas’ actions, saying the movement insists to remain part of the Muslim Brotherhood, not part of the Palestinian political system. The statement indicated that Hamas wants to present itself as an alternative to the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO). Fatah called on the Palestinian people in the homeland and the diaspora, and the Palestinian national factions, to be cautious and alert to the dangers that would result from Hamas engaging with the “deal of the century.” It warned that Hamas' deals only serve the Muslim Brotherhood and they will be at the expense of the Palestinians legitimate national rights. Fatah warned that Hamas is making deals with parties that the Palestinian leadership has refused to deal with. It noted that Hamas agreed with the US administration to establish a hospital in the Gaza Strip, knowing that this administration declared Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and legalized settlements in the West Bank and Jerusalem. 

from Asharq AL-awsat https://aawsat.com/english/home/article/2017566/fatah-official-warns-israel-hamas-deals-lead-establishment-statelet