Will Gaza, West Bank merge security forces?
Fatah and Hamas are seeking to overcome the obstacles to reconciliation, namely the problems related to security services and Hamas-appointed employees.
Although the Fatah-Hamas reconciliation agreement — signed Oct. 12 in Egypt — has rekindled hope, doubts remain as to whether the outstanding issues, such as the problems linked to the security services, can be overcome. There are Palestinian fears that failing to reach solutions to these issues will halt reconciliation.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas repeatedly stated, most recently Oct. 24, that the reconciliation’s ultimate goal is to have the West Bank experiment implemented in the Gaza Strip, particularly the security experiment that is based on “a unified authority, unified law, unified arms, nonexistence of militias” and a unified policy for the security services.
