PFLP slams Fateh and Hamas for their inability to achieve reconciliation

"Gaza - paltoday - The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) slammed on Thursday Fateh and Hamas movements for failing to achieve reconciliation, and demanded the two factions achieve a deal that ends the internal rifts and restores unity."

Read full article at Paltoday.

PPP: Recognition of Israel not discussed in Cairo

"The issue of whether a new Palestinian government will recognize the state of Israel was not discussed at the Palestinian unity talks in Cairo, the Secretary-General of the Palestinian People's Party, Bassam As-Salhi said on Thursday night.

As-Salhi disputed reports that tensions in the meetings between the rival factions centered on whether Hamas would formally recognize Israel.

In a televised interview As-Salhi said that the discussions centered around "the government's program and its ability" to solve the current crises in the West Bank and Gaza.

He also said there was an agreement to accept a one and a half year truce with Israel according to understandings Hamas had previously negotiated with Israel. He said a truce would allow Palestinian political processes to take their course.

The Palestinian unity talks adjourned on Thursday without a final agreement. Palestinian leaders did say that they had agreed in principle to form a coalition government that will prepare for new elections in January 2010. They also planned to continue negotiations at a later date that was not specified."

Source: Maan News Agency

Thousands take to the streets in Rafah, calling on Palestinian politicians to put partisan interests aside for the sake of unity

Today a mass rally was organized by the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, demanding that Palestinian factions put aside partisan squabbles in order to achieve national unity and the lifting of the siege on Gaza. Currently the Cairo talks are on hold, and DFLP leader Abed- Al-Hameed Abu Jayyab lambasted the lack of progress in the talks during his address to the crowds.

Source: Maan News Agency

Update on Cairo talks

According to Walid Awad, who represents the Palestinian People's Party at the Cairo unity talks, the Steering Committee will continue discussions whilst the thematic working groups have concluded their work. The Steering Committee will try to resolve differences on the main stumbling points that remain. According to Awad, there are four issues around which discussion will continue:
-PLO: How to run the organization in the transitional phase until a new Palestinian National Council has been formed.
-Government: The programe and form of a unity government, and its relations to the Palestinian Legislative Council.
-Security: How to integrate the various security services into a single organization
-Elections: Different proposals on electoral systems are to be discussed. There will also be discussions on the transitional period preceding the elections.

Source: PPP website
News links: Telegraaf

Democratic Front outlines demands in negotations on Palestinian elections

The Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine, DFLP, has outlined three central demands regarding the subject of Palestinian in the ongoing Cairo unity talks. The DFLP representative in the Elections thematic committee, Ramzi Rabah, stated yesterday that DFLP has put forward the following positions:

*Elections must be held in 2010. Postponing the elections to 2011 would deepen division between West Bank and Gaza.
*Elections should be held using Proportional Representation.
*There should be an independent and impartial Central Elections Committee

Source: Maan News Agency. See also: DFLP: No progress at Cairo; Egypt: Talks have not failed, Article in Público on prisoner exchange negotiations

Islamic Jihad Movement ready to join the PLO

In what can be seen as an advance in the Cairo unity talks, the Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine has declared that it is committed to Palestinian unity and is ready to join the Palestine Liberation Organization after the forming of a new Palestinian National Council and election of a new PLO Executive Committee, provided that the movement undergoes internal process of renewing its political and administrative programes. The statement was made today by deputy general secretary of the movement, Ziad Al-Nakhalaha.

Source: Paltoday.com

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News links on claims of Islamic radicalism in Denmark: 1, 2

Egyptian blogger detained and beaten

On Monday the Arabic Network for Human Rights Information stated that the Egyptian blogger Diaa Eddin Gad has been detained and beaten by police. According to a Reuters article published the same day, Gad's whereabouts were still unknown. Gad runs the blog Sout Gadeb, which has voiced solidarity with the Palestinian people in Gaza and criticized the complicity of the Egyptian regime in the Gaza massacre.

The arrest of Diaa Eddin Gad shows that the shame of the Egyptian regime has no boundaries. The Egyptian regime is well willing to cooperate with the Israeli occupation. Amongst other things, oil and natural gas is supplied through Egypt. At the same time the full might of the repressive state machinery is unleashed on the critics of the regime, on those who speak out for their brethen in Gaza.

News links: 1, 2

"Hundreds Protest Closed Egypt-Gaza Border"

"In Egypt, about 400 people gathered near the Al Fatah Mosque in Cairo to protest the ongoing Israeli attacks in Gaza and to get the Egyptian government to open the border between Gaza and Egypt."

, from VOA, 3 January, 2009.