Palestinian reconciliation must be championed post-Arab League summit

All Palestinian factions last week signed an Algerian-drafted reconciliation agreement, but for most ordinary Palestinians the key is the seriousness of the parties and their determination to implement the deal. The public and pundits give the Algiers declaration a near-zero chance of implementation, but one group has the power and clout to make the reconciliation work: Arab leaders.

The Arab leaders are set to meet in the Algerian capital for the annual Arab League summit within weeks and the Palestine issue will again take center stage. Algerians, who themselves participated in a long and costly revolt against foreign occupation and colonialism, know well the difficulties of reaching an agreement after a decade and a half of a deep split in society. The Palestinian split is both geographic and ideological and the benefit-cost ratio is not good for either Fatah or Hamas, which are both enjoying the benefits of control in their small fiefdoms.

Implementation of this agreement will be hard. The Fatah leadership represented by President Mahmoud Abbas would like to regain control in Gaza but is reluctant to share power with Hamas. Officially, Ramallah says that any government with Hamas members in it will not fly because of the opposition from the international community to the Islamist movement, which is considered terrorist. Hamas is also reluctant to give up power and control in Gaza without having the chance to be able to work freely in the West Bank. Unable to bridge the gap of a government that abides by international law (Abbas’s demand), the Algerians dropped any reference to a unity government, which further increased public skepticism of the entire reconciliation agreement.

A combination of Arab unity and popular opposition to whichever party obstructs reconciliation can produce a breakthrough

Daoud Kuttab

General presidential and parliamentary elections that were agreed to and canceled at the last moment by Abbas in April 2021 are also now back on the table. But it is unclear whether Abbas will agree to them without an Israeli concession on allowing Palestinians to cast absentee votes from six Jerusalem post offices, as agreed in the Oslo Accords.

For both obstacles, strong Arab support could help find solutions either by pressing Israel or by finding creative ways around them. This will require Arab consensus and determination — two elements that have not always been present.

Reconciliation has a number of things in its favor. Algeria and its people are the most supportive Arab country to Palestine popularly, politically and consistently on the financial level. Both Fatah and Hamas have plenty of internal challenges that can be leveraged if Arab leaders agree to make the Algerian declaration work. Hamas needs international legitimacy and is vulnerable in its southern flank to the Egyptians, who can put strong pressure on it to accommodate some of the requirements of unity. Abbas, meanwhile, is suffering from a weakening of his standing with Palestinians and a strong resistance movement that can further erode his nonviolent, diplomatic approach. Arab financial support can play a big role if Arab leaders (as well as the EU and the US) are united in using the carrot and the stick of withholding or increasing support based on adherence to the election commission in the agreement.

Israel will certainly continue to be an obstacle, but that should further unite Palestinians rather than divide them.

The Palestinian cause is receiving a huge boost of support around the world, especially among young people in the West, including many Jewish American youths. But this support will not bring about an end to the Israeli colonial occupation if Palestinians cannot find the courage to put their differences aside and unite for the freedom and independence of Palestine.

Reconciliation is unlikely to happen because of meetings in hotel rooms thousands of kilometers away from Palestine. It will happen when continuing with division becomes more costly than reaching out and sharing power. Arab leaders, especially the Algerians, could do the Palestinians a big favor if they champion the reconciliation effort after the Arab League summit and continue to encourage both parties to solve their internal differences, giving priority to the importance of unity for the Palestinian cause.

At the same time, Algerian leaders have enough national credit with all Palestinians to be able to courageously point their finger at whichever side is obstructing the implementation of the reconciliation agreement. A combination of Arab unity and popular opposition to whichever party obstructs reconciliation can produce a breakthrough.

• Daoud Kuttab is a Christian Palestinian journalist from Jerusalem. He is a former Ferris Professor of Journalism at Princeton University. Twitter: @daoudkuttab