 [ADN Kronos] Rival Palestinian factions Fatah and the Islamist Hamas movement have reached an historic accord for the creation of a new "confederation" with two governments to rule in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, sources have told Adnkronos International (AKI).| Izzat the same thing as a "government of national unity"? |
Top-level Palestinian sources told AKI that the two groups are waiting for the right moment to make an official announcement about the agreement.| "There's a couple-three 'accidents' that ain't happened yet." |
Well-informed sources based in Damascus said the "confederation is based on two governments : one in the West Bank led by Fatah and the Palestinian National Authority and the other in the Gaza Strip led by Hamas".| And that's different from what they have...how? Oh, I think I know...the Hamas cut is now more-or-less "legal". Huzzah. |
"It is a government for each of the two principal factions of the Palestinian conflict," the source said. | "One fer youse, two fer me. Three fer youse, four fer me..." |
Under the accord, a co-ordinating commission would supervise the two executives in a type of politburo "central government", sources said. | With regular consultations with Damascus... |
The commission would not have particularly broad or binding responsibilities, it will co-ordinate the two governments so that they act like a single body, sources said. "The two governments will restrict themselves to managing reconstruction and election preparations, without a clear political function," one source said."Leaving the bloodshed community organizing to the grassroots, as it were." |
However, the accord is expected to attract strong opposition from other Palestinian groups including the Democratic Front and the Popular Front since the plan excludes their participation, sources said. A Damascus official from the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine has already said that his organisation is "totally cheesed opposed to this plan since it reinforces and perpetuates the divisions between the Palestinians, hampers the possibility of creating an independent Palestinian state and confirms the division of power between the two principal factions." |