The positive atmosphere, created by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' initiative to Gaza and the welcome from the Islamic Hamas movement, was not enough to achieve its goal and end the current division.
Hamas said in a press statement that it welcomes Abbas declaration to visit Gaza, however, it did not show any positive position concerning Abbas' goal of forming a transitional independent government that prepares for holding general elections within six months.
The dispute on whether the visit would be for a reconciliation agreement or for starting a new dialogue, has become an obstacle amid each party sticking to its position.
During his speech before the members of the Palestinian Central Council (PCC) of Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), Abbas stressed that the aim of his visit to Gaza is not to start new dialogues, but to declare a reconciliation agreement. Azzam al- Ahmad, Fatah party's central committee member told Xinhua that Abbas' visit should be based on ending the division. It should not be welcomed only for postponement, maneuver and wasting time.
However, Mushir al-Masri, the Gaza-based senior Hamas leader told Xinhua that his movement insists to reject Abbas' visit to Gaza based on the previous terms and conditions, adding "the dialogue is the only mean that would end the internal Palestinian division."
"We welcome Abbas' visit and we call him to sit with us on the table of the Palestinian dialogue without sticking to his previous conditions or putting in advance conditions. Otherwise, he is putting the stick in the wheel to prove that he doesn't have sincerity towards holding a dialogue," said al-Masri.
Saleh Ra'fat, member of the PLO executive committee, accused that Hamas wanted to turn Abbas' visit into just meetings to start a new dialogue instead of an agreement on reconciliation.
Naji Shurab, political science professor at the Gaza-based al- Azhar University, said Hamas may stick to its position "in order to empty the visit of its content," adding that "in this case the date of President Mahmoud Abbas' visit to the Gaza Strip would remain pending."
Abbas has not been in Gaza since Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip in June 2007 and routed his security forces.
Ismail Haneya, the deposed premier of Hamas administration in Gaza on Tuesday called on Abbas and his Fatah party to hold an immediate meeting, no matter if it is in Gaza or anywhere else, and launch a national and comprehensive dialogue that leads to an end of the internal division.
Palestinian observers said the calls of both Haneya and Abbas came in response to the massive popular rallies in the West Bank and Gaza Strip demanding an end to the internal rift. The rallies in Gaza were repressed by force and any ongoing rallies were banned by Hamas.
Tala Oukal, the Gaza-based political analyst said the conditions to declare a reconciliation agreement are still unripe, adding that the Palestinians need a new sponsor to the dialogue after the political changes in Egypt last month.
"In addition, the Palestinian popular movement did not create enough pressure on the disputing parties to make the real change. So in order to start with more practical steps, both must stop repressions of freedoms, political arrests and the mutual media incitement," said Oukal.
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