Haniya responds positively to the Abbas Initiative

Haniya responds positively to the Abbas Initiative

ccun.org, June 5, 2008

The Gaza-based Palestinian Prime Minister, Ismail Haniya, made a speech today in response to the speech made by the Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, yesteray.

In general, he responded positively to the Abbas initiative and expressed his willingness to start a dialog between Fateh and Hamas to implement the previous agreements in an attempt to end the Israeli siege imposed on Gaza Strip.

Haniya summarized his response in four points.

First, he welcomed the Abbas initiative.

Second, he expressed his willingness to start a dialog between Fateh and Hamas in order to implement the previous agreements, particularly the last one signed in Sana'a, Yemen.

Third, he urged the Arab League to sponsor the dialog on basis of "no winner or loser," as it did in Lebanon.

Fourth, he called Fateh to end media campaigns and start reconciliation efforts, mentioning that he gave orders to Hamas to do that instantly.

Ahmed Yousuf: We hope Abbas will visit Gaza in the coming days

Date: 05 / 06 / 2008 Time: 18:49
Bethlehem – Ma'an –

Ahmed Yousuf, Political Counselor in the Foreign Ministry of the de-facto government in Gaza, on Thursday applauded Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' decision to restart the national dialogue.

In statements to Ma'an, Yousuf said that Abbas' speech on Wednesday and Hamas' immediate acceptance of it lay the groundwork for a return to political awareness and wisdom in the Palestinian arena, and constitute an important step towards national reconciliation and healing the divisions between Hamas and Fatah that have prevailed since June 2007.

He told Ma'an, "We hope that there will be an Arab and Islamic effort to support the dialogue and reconciliation endeavors, push them forward, and deal with any obstacles on our path to success."

Referring to Abbas' Wednesday speech, Yousuf stated: "We are waiting for this positive language to motivate everyone to work towards healing the damaged relations between our brothers in the Hamas and Fatah movements, and to return all Palestinian factions to their national spirit which carried us together through long years confronting the Israeli occupation."

He added: "We warned previously against betting only on the US position, or putting all the files of the Palestinian issue in the same basket; instead we must push towards deepening our Arab and Islamic ties, since Palestine and the Al-Aqsa Mosque occupy a place in the minds of the 1.5 billion Muslims around the world."

"Today, after listening to the speech of Isma'il Haniyah, which will be another step forward, we will embark with him on a new journey of reconciliation and reformation… we will start working for national unity and to strengthen our social fabric as sons of one nation. We reaffirm our commitment to political partnership and peacefully sharing authority."

Yousuf concluded, "We hope that Abbas will surprise us with a visit to the Gaza Strip in the coming days, to recognize that Gaza is not only a strong supporter of the national project but also a house honored by the blood of martyrs, and that its people will not be broken despite the hunger, oppression and blockade."

Cautious optimism in Gaza after Abbas calls for implementing Yemeni initiative

Date: 05 / 06 / 2008 Time: 13:48
Gaza - Ma’an report -

Gazans are feeling cautiously optimistic after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas agreed to commence a comprehensive national dialogue aimed at implementing the Yemeni initiative and accomplishing national reconciliation.

Civilians in the besieged Gaza Strip are hoping a national dialogue will begin immediately after a year of internal crisis in the Palestinian territories that have split the territories in two with the Fatah government controlling the West Bank and Hamas in charge in the Gaza Strip.

A taxi driver in Gaza told Ma'an, “we are fed up with talks and initiatives. We want a fast and practical implementation.”

A supermarket owner in Al-Wehdah Street in Gaza expressed his hope that the dialogue will succeed, saying, “we feel things are different this time. A long time has passed since the division and, as we say, time is a healer. We know that the blockade has exacerbated the internal division but this Israeli intransigence should push us into achieving a national reconciliation.”

One Media employee said, “we are fed up with discussing the problems. Without unity we cannot get back our rights and we will remain suffering under the blockade which is destroying us.”

“We have to commence a dialogue in order to get things back on their ordinary track and we have to understand each other… because what we need is a national unity government that defends resistance against Israeli intransigence.”

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