Hamas and Fatah Reach Agreement on Employees, Rafah Crossing

October 12, 2017 Blog, News
Fatah and Hamas leaders at a recent meeting in Gaza. (Photo: via MEMO, file)

Details have emerged of the agreement reached between Hamas and Fatah, facilitated by the Egyptian authorities and held at the headquarters of the Egyptian Public Intelligence.

With respect to the issue of Gaza-based employees, there is an agreement that the legal committee – who will assess progress in resolving outstanding issues such as salaries and reappointing employees – will work for a period of 120 days.

Payments to staff in Gaza will be disbursed only when the legal committee has completed its work, and after they have been integrated into the Palestinian National Authority’s payroll on a security protection basis.

The total number of Gaza civilian staff and civilian authority personnel is 30, and five new recruits will be employed to fill in the gaps and vacancies in the education and health sector. Staff in the health sector and the educational sector will be invited to return to their work prior to the division in 2007 in accordance with the needs of the ministries.

The Rafah crossing, meanwhile, will be under Egyptian security supervision and there will be follow-up from Major General Hammam Abuzayd, as well as the Palestinian National Authority Director General in charge of crossings. The Fatah and Hamas delegations agreed that Samir Abu-Bee-Al-Sharif will manage the Rafah crossing.

With respect to a government of national unity, it is agreed that each minister will re-establish the ministry’s structure in accordance with the administrative structure and integrate senior staff with new staff. It has been agreed that General Mohamed Mansour will be responsible for the re-establishment of the police and national security service.

As for public freedoms – the right to gather, travel, associate and freedom of expression – the two sides agree to activate the 2011 Cairo public freedoms committee to report to Egypt on any violations or prosecutions in the West Bank and Gaza.

With respect to the measures taken against Gaza there is agreement that the Fatah delegation, after its departure from Cairo tomorrow, will ask President Mahmoud Abbas to issue a decision to renounce all punitive actions taken since March this year, in particular the supply of medicine, patient transfers and decision-making.

These actions will be taken by President Mahmoud Abbas before inviting factions to the Cairo meeting at the end of the month. There is also an agreement to increase the electricity supply of Egyptian and Israeli gas.

As for elections, there will be a comprehensive meeting in Cairo at the end of the month to complete the formation of the government of national unity and the leadership framework of the Palestine Liberation Organisation, and to agree on the date of the presidential and legislative elections and thus participate in the international conference in Sharm El-Sheikh.

(MEMO, PC, Social Media)

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2 Comments

  1. This is a welcome development and we hope this unity government will be of great value to Palestinians. we love u all
    Nigeria

  2. We thanks Allah for this reconciliation between two HAMAS and FATAH. May Almighty Allah continue guide them to the straight path.

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