Hamas clears way for return of Fatah men
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Khaled Abu Toameh , THE JERUSALEM POST Sep. 23, 2007
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Several Fatah officials who fled to the West Bank after Hamas's violent
takeover of the Gaza Strip last June have decided to return home, Palestinian
Authority officials said Sunday.
The decision came after the Fatah officials received assurances from Hamas that
they would not be harmed upon their return to Gaza, the officials told The
Jerusalem Post. But they denied that the decision was linked to reports about
secret talks between Hamas and Fatah.
Some 50 senior political and security Fatah officials fled to the West Bank
before and after Hamas took full control of the Gaza Strip. At least 400 others
are believed to have fled to Egypt and other Arab countries.
The presence of the Fatah "refugees" in the West Bank drew sharp criticism from
some Palestinians, who accused them of abandoning their subordinates in Gaza.
Some of the Fatah leaders were questioned by a special commission of inquiry
about their responsibility for the defeat of the Fatah-controlled security
forces in the Gaza Strip.
In separate interviews with the Post, many of the Fatah officials who found
sanctuary in Ramallah complained that the PA had turned its back on them. They
said the PA leadership in Ramallah had restricted their movements and banned
them from meeting with PA President Mahmoud Abbas and his top aides.
Among the Fatah officials who are expected to return to Gaza are former PA
minister Nabil Shaath, whose house in Gaza City was looted by Hamas militiamen
last June, Rouhi Fattouh, Abdullah Ifranji, Hamdan Ashour, Gen. Mazen Izzadin,
Abu Ali Shaheen and Gen. Samih Naser. All of them are members of the Fatah
central committee and revolutionary council.
Despite holding senior positions in Fatah, none of the officials are "wanted"
by Hamas. Sources close to Hamas in Gaza City said the Islamist movement was
not opposed to the return of the officials to their homes.
"We never expelled them from the Gaza Strip," one source said. "These people
decided to leave the Gaza Strip of their own volition."
However, the sources said other Fatah leaders who had played an active role in
the fighting against Hamas would not be allowed to return to Gaza. One of them
is former Fatah security commander Muhammad Dahlan, who has been accused by
Hamas of spearheading US-backed efforts to bring down the Hamas government over
the past two years. Hamas has confiscated Dahlan's villa in Gaza City, saying
he would not be permitted to return to the Gaza Strip.
Meanwhile, Hamas leaders continued to insist that their movement was holding
secret talks with Fatah. Osama Hamdan, Hamas's representative in Lebanon, said
talks were under way between the two parties in a bid to resolve the crisis. He
refused to elaborate.
Another Hamas official, Ahmed Yusef, said the two parties were conducting
secret negotiations. He said the talks were being held under the auspices of
some Arab countries.
