Group of Fatah members flees Hamas persecution

Sharjah: A group of Gaza-based members of the Palestinian faction Fatah have relocated to the UAE fearing alleged Hamas persecution.

Holding deep grudges, with some saying they have lost family members to Hamas fighters, most say they do not expect any reconciliation in the next round of talks between the rival factions.

The two Palestinian factions are expected to resume the reconciliation talks on Wednesday. In the March 19 talks the two factions failed to agree on the formation of a unity government to heal their divisions.

There are approximately 40 Fatah cadres, many members of the Security Forces, now based in the UAE, according to some members Gulf News spoke to. Many of them have not been able to find jobs. Longing for their families, homes and land, they are closely monitoring the unity talks despite their pessimism.

Salman Al Khalidi, a security guard for former Fatah's Gaza spokesperson Maher Meqdad, is not optimistic that the talks will provide a long lasting solution.

"The only just settlement I would accept is one that will bring to trial those responsible for the killings of Fatah members. It is difficult to forgive and forget the killing of the loved ones if the killers are enjoying freedom. I do not think that trials will be part of this agreement therefore I'm not counting on this dialogue," said Khalidi.

Although Khalidi believes that Palestinians need to be unified to fight Israel, he still feels that it is difficult to forgive. Yet he wants to return to Gaza someday.

Khalidi, who left Gaza in August 2007 is now working as a safety officer in Dubai.

"I have not been able to adapt to my new life in the UAE. For the first five months here I could not sleep at night. Images of my friends that were killed kept reappearing and I was constantly on the internet following the news. I was always worried that one of my friends will be in the news," said Khalidi.

"I did not want to flee from Gaza despite my life being in danger, but I was pressurised by my parents. My father told me he would rather hear my voice while I was far away rather than have me die near him," said Khalidi.

Khalidi said he was against fighting fellow Palestinians.

"In the beginning the idea of resorting to arms to fight Hamas was alien and I rejected the whole idea as I knew that one day I could end up killing one of my relatives. For example my uncle is a security guard for a prominent figure in Hamas," said Khalidi.

"However, as the fighting accelerated each day and we saw friends either killed or handicapped we started mobilising and seeing them as enemies," said Khalidi.

Akram Al Hayek, who used to work with a Gaza charity, now lives in Al Ain. He said he does not expect much from the Cairo dialogue as "it is a dialogue of the deaf. Whatever gains any party would make will be at the cost of Palestinian blood."

He had to flee Gaza leaving behind six children and a wife and is currently looking for a job in the UAE. He lives on $ 250 (Dh 900) a month here which he gets as pocket money from Fatah.

Osama Hassan, who used to work as a lieutenant colonel at the Special Office for Security Forces in Gaza, said regardless of any agreement reached between the two parties he will not go back to Gaza.

I personally will not go back to Gaza because I do not have any faith left in Fatah or Hamas.

"Hamas fighters killed my brother and Fatah did not lend me a hand when I was detained in Egypt after I fled Gaza," said Hassan. He has been wanted in Israel since 1988, had to sell his house in Gaza to bring his family to the UAE and pay for his stay here as he has not found a job yet.

However, Nidal Mohammad, who used to be responsible for Fatah's activism and demonstrations in Gaza said that he is optimistic about the unity talks and believes that it will increase his chances to be reunited with his family soon.

"To reach an agreement is essential for our cause and despite everything that Hamas did it is an integral part of the Palestinian people," said Mohammad.

Key events

- January 2006 - Hamas wins Palestinian Authority legislative election
- March 2006 - Hamas government sworn in. US and EU suspend ties
- February-March 2007 - Fatah and Hamas agree to form coalition to end growing factional warfare
- June 2007 - Hamas seizes control of Gaza from Fatah after continued fighting. Unity government dissolved, Israel tightens blockade of Gaza Strip

Source: BBC