Reconciliation talks between rival Palestinian factions have failed to achieve any political progress, analysts say, despite mounting pressure to present a united front against Israeli aggression in the West Bank.
President Mahmoud Abbas, of the Fatah party, sat down with rival political groups, most notably Gaza-based Hamas, for talks in Cairo on Sunday that were billed by some as a chance to heal years-long rifts between Palestinian organisations.
Mr Abbas described the rift between Hamas and Fatah as today’s “nakba”, the Arabic word for catastrophe that also refers to the mass displacement of Palestinians during the establishment of the state of Israel in 1948.
His assessment followed many previous failed attempts to patch over differences since the parties split in 2007.
By Sunday evening, Mr Abbas had announced only a vague intention to form a “follow-up committee”, seen as a sign that the day's talks had achieved little.
“The formation of a committee is not a good sign,” Ghassan Khatib, a former Palestinian minister, told The National. “Had there been any achievements, they would have been announced by now.”
The reconciliation effort comes as Israel’s right-wing government pushes ahead with one of the country’s most heavy-handed agendas regarding the Palestinian territories in years, particularly in the occupied West Bank.
It includes ramped up settlement activity, near daily military raids and a large-scale security operation in the northern Palestinian city of Jenin at the beginning of July.
Despite these mounting challenges, divisions among Palestinian political organisations remain stark, especially between Mr Abbas’s Palestinian Authority and Hamas.
Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the militant organisation responsible for spates of rocket fire into Israeli territory this year, boycotted the talks.
Hugh Lovatt of the European Council on Foreign Relations said the divisions had hardened since Mr Abbas cancelled national elections in 2021.
“His Palestinian Authority is now stepping up its detention campaign against members of Hamas and Islamic Jihad as they expand their military confrontation against Israel in the West Bank,” Mr Lovatt said.
“Against this backdrop, Palestinian reconciliation remains a distant prospect.”
At the meeting, Mr Abbas’s main rival, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, called on Palestinians to exploit “unprecedented internal divisions” in Israel.
Israel is currently witnessing the largest protest movement in its history as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seeks to pass a deeply controversial judicial overhaul.
Mr Haniyeh said this “window of opportunity” required Palestinians to “think collectively and take exceptional decisions”.
But Mr Khatib said a collective approach was unlikely, given Hamas’s significant demands if it is to join a unity government.
He said Hamas's insistence that it join the Palestine Liberation Organisation, led by Mr Abbas, is particularly difficult for mainstream Palestinian politicians to stomach.
There are fears that if Hamas, which is designated a terror organisation by a number of western countries, does join, it would undermine the PLO's decades-long recognition by the international community as the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.
“Hamas does not feel obliged to make concessions in talks,” Mr Khatib said. “They are in comfortable control of Gaza and have huge popularity in the West Bank because of their image as the true resistance.
“While Fatah, subject to Israeli pressure, sees its popularity diminishing rapidly. They are the ones that need partnership.”
The lack of progress comes despite high-level stewardship of the reconciliation effort from Egypt, which convened the meeting.
Following Sunday’s talks, Mr Abbas met Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi on Monday in the coastal city of New Alamein where he thanked him for Egypt’s hosting of the factions’ meeting, Palestinian news agency Wafa reported.
During his time in Egypt, Mr Abbas also said he intends to hold elections if Palestinians in Israeli-annexed East Jerusalem are able to participate.
There have been no Palestinian presidential or parliamentary elections since 2006, a key reason why many view the PA as corrupt.
There are fears within the organisation that votes would be lost to Hamas, which is viewed by many Palestinians as a stronger opponent to Israel.
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Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr
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11 cabbie-recommended restaurants and dishes to try in Abu Dhabi
Iqbal Restaurant behind Wendy’s on Hamdan Street for the chicken karahi (Dh14)
Pathemari in Navy Gate for prawn biryani (from Dh12 to Dh35)
Abu Al Nasar near Abu Dhabi Mall, for biryani (from Dh12 to Dh20)
Bonna Annee at Navy Gate for Ethiopian food (the Bonna Annee special costs Dh42 and comes with a mix of six house stews – key wet, minchet abesh, kekel, meser be sega, tibs fir fir and shiro).
Al Habasha in Tanker Mai for Ethiopian food (tibs, a hearty stew with meat, is a popular dish; here it costs Dh36.75 for lamb and beef versions)
Himalayan Restaurant in Mussaffa for Nepalese (the momos and chowmein noodles are best-selling items, and go for between Dh14 and Dh20)
Makalu in Mussaffa for Nepalese (get the chicken curry or chicken fry for Dh11)
Al Shaheen Cafeteria near Guardian Towers for a quick morning bite, especially the egg sandwich in paratha (Dh3.50)
Pinky Food Restaurant in Tanker Mai for tilapia
Tasty Zone for Nepalese-style noodles (Dh15)
Ibrahimi for Pakistani food (a quarter chicken tikka with roti costs Dh16)
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TERMINAL HIGH ALTITUDE AREA DEFENCE (THAAD)
What is THAAD?
It is considered to be the US's most superior missile defence system.
Production:
It was created in 2008.
Speed:
THAAD missiles can travel at over Mach 8, so fast that it is hypersonic.
Abilities:
THAAD is designed to take out ballistic missiles as they are on their downward trajectory towards their target, otherwise known as the "terminal phase".
Purpose:
To protect high-value strategic sites, such as airfields or population centres.
Range:
THAAD can target projectiles inside and outside the Earth's atmosphere, at an altitude of 150 kilometres above the Earth's surface.
Creators:
Lockheed Martin was originally granted the contract to develop the system in 1992. Defence company Raytheon sub-contracts to develop other major parts of the system, such as ground-based radar.
UAE and THAAD:
In 2011, the UAE became the first country outside of the US to buy two THAAD missile defence systems. It then stationed them in 2016, becoming the first Gulf country to do so.
The schedule
December 5 - 23: Shooting competition, Al Dhafra Shooting Club
December 9 - 24: Handicrafts competition, from 4pm until 10pm, Heritage Souq
December 11 - 20: Dates competition, from 4pm
December 12 - 20: Sour milk competition
December 13: Falcon beauty competition
December 14 and 20: Saluki races
December 15: Arabian horse races, from 4pm
December 16 - 19: Falconry competition
December 18: Camel milk competition, from 7.30 - 9.30 am
December 20 and 21: Sheep beauty competition, from 10am
December 22: The best herd of 30 camels
Sreesanth's India bowling career
Tests 27, Wickets 87, Average 37.59, Best 5-40
ODIs 53, Wickets 75, Average 33.44, Best 6-55
T20Is 10, Wickets 7, Average 41.14, Best 2-12