[Jerusalem Post] Khaled Abu Toameh - One Hamas leader in Gaza City said, "Fatah made 90% of the concessions, while Hamas made only 10%." The same deal could have been struck several months ago, when Hamas and Fatah launched the unity talks. "On Thursday evening, the Saudis told us that we [had] only two hours to sign an agreement and that they [wouldn't] accept any excuses," a top Fatah official said. "It was a real threat that made President Abbas very nervous and forced him to accept almost all of Hamas' conditions." Hamas' 4,000-strong paramilitary Executive Force will be incorporated into the Palestinian security forces, which means that their salaries will be paid by the U.S. and EU. This is the same force that was recently outlawed by Abbas. The Mecca summit has enhanced Hamas' role as a major political force in the Middle East. The fact that Hamas leaders are put on equal footing with the heads of the Saudi royal family and the PA carries symbolic importance. The agreement has buried any chance of dismantling the Hamas-led government, at least in the next three years. Abbas' threat to call early elections has gone down the drain.
2007-02-12 01:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive