Gaza fighting signals end of accord

Dubai: The Palestinian National Authority is in danger of collapse, officials and analysts have warned.

They cite the worst Palestinian infighting in weeks and the possible pullout of Fatah from the unity government with Hamas as likely triggers.

"Surely if Fatah decides to pull out from the [Unity] Government, this means the end of the Makkah agreement," Palestinian Information Minister Must-afa Barghouti told Gulf News in a brief telephone interview from Brussels, where he is holding talks with European Union officials.

However, "we don't want things to reach that stage which serves only the interests of Israel," he added.

"Every effort should be exerted to protect national unity and prevent the shedding of Palestinian blood." Otherwise, it would lead to "a complete collapse of the Palestinian National Authority," Barghouti warned.

"The rivals should realise they need to go back to the negotiating table, and solve all their differences in a constructive manner."

Both Fatah and Hamas had agreed to stop killing each other and maintain national unity in a peace agreement brokered by Saudi King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz on February 8.

Analysts said the renewal in fighting was expected, as all previous agreements, including the Makkah pact, had failed to satisfy the various parties involved.

"There are group who hadn't looked at the [Makkah] agreement as a strategic alliance, but rather a time to rest and recoup until the next chance [to resume fighting]," Nader Al Saeed, sociology professor at Beirzeit University in the West Bank city of Ramallah, told Gulf News.

"What is happening in Gaza is a raging fire that has a deep-rooted political ambitions" where many groups, internal as well as external, are involved, he added.

Palestinian Prime Minister Esmail Haniya called yesterday for an end to the fighting and an immediate resumption of negotiations. Seven more Palestinians have been killed in gunbattles between Hamas and Fatah in Gaza City, hospital officials said.