Brussels, 28/04/2011 (Agence Europe) - The EU has not yet come to an opinion on the surprise agreement sealed on 27 April between the Fatah under the president of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, and the Islamic Hamas on the formation of a transitional Palestinian government - apparently composed of independent personalities - until presidential and legislative elections to be held in one year's time. “On behalf of the EU, I am following the decision to form an interim Palestinian government with great interest. The EU has consistently called for peace and reconciliation, under the authority of President Abbas, leading to an end to the division between the West Bank and Gaza and in support of greater security and stability across the region. We will study the detail of this agreement and discuss with colleagues in the EU and in the region”, Catherine Ashton commented on Thursday 28 April. Her spokesman said on Thursday afternoon that consultation with European partners and partners in the region were already underway. The EU high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, who was surprised by this agreement as were most other observers, said she wants “to get a feeling of what is in the agreement”. The prime minister of the Palestinian Authority, Salam Fayyad, hoped the agreement would lead to “reunification of the nation, which is necessary for allowing our people to decide its own destiny and establish an independent state on all territories occupied since 1967, with East Jerusalem as the capital”. The head of the Hamas government in Gaza, Ismaïl Haniyeh, hailed the efforts of mediation made by Egypt with a view to reaching agreement.
S&D welcomes agreement. The Social Group (S&D) at the European Parliament immediately welcomed the agreement between the former conflicting Palestinian brothers and called for Israeli-Palestinian peace talks to be resumed. “We have always encouraged and supported reconciliation. This deal makes it possible for Palestinians to end internal divisions, speak with a single voice and continue on the peaceful path towards a Palestinian state”, said Martin Schulz, who leads the S&D Group. Presidential and legislative elections scheduled for 2012 should be free and fair, he said, going on to stress that “the democratic wishes of Palestinian voters must be respected by the international community”. The agreement should also give fresh momentum to efforts being made to establish a “just and lasting peace” between Israelis and Palestinians on the basis of a two-State solution. The head of the EP delegation for relations with the Palestinian Legislative Council, Proinsias De Rossa of Ireland, fully supports the agreement and calls on the EU as a whole to immediately back it.
Negative reactions in Israel and the USA. Catherine Ashton's caution can be partly explained by the very negative reactions from Israel and the United States. The Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, directly denounced the agreement and warned Mahmoud Abbas that he should “choose between peace with Israel and peace with Hamas”. Israel's Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, who felt a “red line” had been crossed with the agreement, even threatened the Palestinian Authority with a “vast arsenal of measures” if it implemented the agreement. These measures would range from the suppression of VIP status for Mahmoud Abbas and Salam Fayyad (Palestinian Prime Minister), “which would mean they would no longer be able to travel freely” in the West Bank, to a freeze on transfers of taxes levied by Israel on behalf of the Palestinian Authority, Lieberman said. The United States is also concerned by Hamas' participation in a transitional government, as it is considered as a terrorist group. Washington calls for “all Palestinian governments” to renounce violence, to comply with agreements reached and to recognise Israel's right to exist. (H.B./transl.jl)