Hamas, Fatah ignore Carter's reconciliation attempt
Hamas and Fatah are focusing on trivial issues instead of taking advantage of former President Jimmy Carter’s efforts to achieve reconciliation between the two Palestinian movements.
RAMALLAH, West Bank — Former US President Jimmy Carter is seeking to get the stalled Palestinian reconciliation moving by urging Saudi Arabia to use its influence, as the kingdom expressed its willingness to mediate again between Fatah and Hamas during Carter’s visit to Saudi Arabia in March.
Carter, who heads The Elders, said during a May 2 meeting with President Mahmoud Abbas at the Muqata compound in Ramallah, the Palestinian Authority’s presidential headquarters, that the talks focused on the possibility of holding Palestinian elections and implementing the Beach Refugee Camp Agreement between Fatah and Hamas. He also expressed “The Elders’ readiness to make major efforts to implement all that has been mentioned in this agreement.”
For security reasons, Carter was not able to visit the Gaza Strip and meet with Hamas officials, but communication between the two parties did not stop.
Regarding what Carter had brought up during his recent visit, a Palestinian official source told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity that Carter is one of the personalities who previously sought to complete the reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas. The official went on, “According to our information, Carter asked Saudi Arabia to activate its role in the reconciliation file and it expressed its consent, so long as the two parties provided guarantees and showed seriousness,” especially in light of Saudi Arabia’s experience in the Mecca agreement.
