Egypt is a very valuable partner for peace in the Middle East.
October 12, 2017
Palestinian political parties Hamas and Fatah (click here) signed a reconciliation deal in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, on Thursday, as part of an effort to end a decade-long rift.
The announcement comes after representatives from Hamas and the Fatah-led Palestinian Authority (PA) convened in Cairo on Tuesday to implement a unity agreement that was signed in 2011 but not put into action.
At a press conference, head of the PA delegation Azzam al-Ahmad said the two sides agreed that the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza would be operated by the presidential guards of PA president Mahmoud Abbas by November 1.
"According security measures will be applied and adopted by the Palestinian Authority where the presidential guards will be spread all over the borders," said al-Ahmad.
He added that under the instructions of Abbas, the two groups would not return to the occupied Palestinian territories unless they had a "final agreement that would put aside the rift forever ... to achieve the Palestinian dream, put an end to occupation, and to have a Palestinian, independent, sovereign state with East Jerusalem as the capital".
Saleh al-Arouri, deputy head of the Hamas political office also spoke, thanking Egypt for its "stable role".
"The Palestinian issue is the Egyptian issue," said al-Arouri....
