After more than two years of quarrel between Islamic Hamas movement and President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party, Israel has finally realized that the continuation of this dispute would delay the release of Israeli corporal Gilad Shalit, who has been held in captivity in Gaza for three years.

On Wednesday, the Israeli Ha'aretz daily quoted Israeli army sources as saying that a freeze in the attempted reconciliation of Fatah and Hamas has also brought efforts to negotiate the release of the abducted soldier to a standstill, adding "the likelihood of a speedy deal to release Shalit is slim."

The Palestinians, mainly in Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip who suffer from a tight Israeli blockade, are not less concerned than the Israelis to end the current political and geographical rift between Gaza and the West Bank, and also see Shalit's release crucial to the end of their daily suffering.

"There is no doubt that if Fatah and Hamas leaders reach a reconciliation agreement soon, and Shalit is getting released too, most of our internal problems would be resolved and the crossing points will be reopened," said As'ad Abu Sharkh, a Palestinian academic at Gaza al-Azhar University.

"Then the Palestinians would be united and would pay more attention to bigger issues such as preparing for holding democratic elections, reconstructing Gaza, and resume peace talks with Israel that lead to establishing their independent state," he added.

Egyptian mediation goes on

From the very beginning, Egypt has been also very much concerned about the inter-Palestinian situation as well as the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Egypt is more concerned to resolve the current crisis in the Gaza Strip, which represents strategic and security depth for country.

Egypt, which keeps good diplomatic ties with the Palestinian rivals as well as with the Jewish state, played the role of a mediator to help the Palestinians end their rift and also finalize a prisoners' swap deal between Israel and the Palestinian captors of Shalit.

"Neither Israel nor the Palestinian rivals are helping Egypt to be the pioneer in ending the Palestinian rift between Fatah and Hamas and also finalizing the prisoners' swap deal between Shalit's captors and Israel," said Saleh Abu Zayed, a Gaza-based political analyst.

Egypt stated officially that it was planning to bring the rival parties to sign a reconciliation agreement on July 7. But the talks were postponed until July 25 due to ongoing differences on elections and security issues. Egypt is hoping that a final agreement could be signed in Cairo on July 28.

"Reaching an agreement between Hamas and Fatah became doubtful, following the recent increase of mutual arrests carried out by both security forces of Hamas in Gaza and Abbas' forces in the West Bank," said Abu Zayed.

Ha'aretz said that Egypt's hope of bringing about Shalit's release was also based on its expectations of brokering a Palestinian reconciliation. The Egyptians hoped that such a deal and its achievements would generate a positive atmosphere that would encourage Hamas to be flexible about Shalit.

Efforts of Palestinian factions

Less influential Palestinian factions, who can also play an essential role in resolving the crisis, are exerting efforts to convince rival Fatah and Hamas to end the rift between Gaza and the West Bank and reach a comprehensive reconciliation agreement.

The factions' leaders held recently intensive talks with both Fatah and Hamas in Gaza and the West Bank in a bid to rescue the inter-dialogue and the end of current situation in the Palestinian territories.

Mohamed al-Harazin, a senior Islamic Jihad (Holy War) leader said a series of meetings held between several factions representatives and Hamas leaders in Gaza, adding that "we really felt that Hamas is very much keen to succeed the upcoming round of dialogue due on July 25 and to end Shalit's case."

"I believe the Palestinians are not to be blamed for the current complicated situation, and for not achieving a breakthrough in all the outstanding issues, Israel is the one which dismantles the efforts to reach a reconciliation deal and also finalize the prisoners' swap deal," al-Harazin told Xinhua.

One package-solution might not help

Deposed Hamas prime minister in Gaza Ismail Haneya had earlier stated that linking all outstanding issues, the inter-dialogue, the release of Shalit, reconstruction of Gaza and reopening of the crossings, as one package, "is a big mistake," calling on Egypt to resolve each issue separately.

"Unfortunately, all the current issues are linked to each other. Egypt and the Palestinians can never be blamed for not reaching a reconciliation deal or for not finalizing the prisoners' swap, Israel is fully responsible for obstructing any success in any of these issues to serve its interests," said Abu Sharkh.

(Xinhua News Agency July 10, 2009)