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OPT: Week in review - Conciliation talks halted again

On July 1, President Mahmoud Abbas announced that Fateh and Hamas had not yet reached an agreement in Cairo as part of conciliation talks between the two factions. According to the original timeframe, the two were to sign an agreement of national conciliation on July 7. A day before the announcement, the sixth round of national dialogue talks was concluded in Cairo and an agreement was made to hold a final round between July 25 and 28. However, Abbas' announcement seems to have put any hopes of reaching unity to rest.

This is over and above Fateh claims on July 29 that the PA had arrested a Hamas cell who were planning to target PA officials and institutions before the July 7 conciliation deadline. PA Presidential Secretary Tayyeb Abdul Rahim declared in a press conference in Ramallah, "We have information along with proof after interrogating those who were arrested in the past few days that they were commissioned from Hamas abroad and Izziddin Qassam Brigades in Gaza to carry out acts against Palestinian public figures and institutions belonging to the PA in the West Bank."

The announcement created a flurry of reactions, unsurprisingly. Of course, Israeli media picked up the story almost immediately, claiming the group was planning to assassinate Abbas himself. Hamas, on the other hand, vehemently rejected the claims, saying these were fabrications created to divert away from Hamas' efforts to reach national unity.

President Abbas further consolidated the charges on July 1 saying, "The Palestinian Authority is closely monitoring the situation, and when the time is right we will expose those involved in this affair. For now we must wait. We have verified information that Hamas is hoarding weapons and explosives. The Authority has found two tons of explosives belonging to Hamas."

Hamas says these allegations are all untrue and are aimed at sabotaging any hopes of unity. On July 2, Hamas spokesperson Sami Abu Zuhri charged that it was the PA that is "torturing our affiliates to get information," saying the "West Bank government's tactics were blackmail and threats."

This setback in relations is certainly not helpful to the Palestinians, especially in light of Israel's ongoing measures against them in the Palestinian territories.

On July 2, 17-year old Hiam Abu Ayesh, was killed and her 24-year-old brother Husam injured when an Israeli tank shell hit her family's home in the Juhor Ad-Dik neighborhood in the Gaza Strip. While the Israeli army first claimed the girl was killed by Palestinian bullets during an exchange of fire in the area, it later retracted its statement after Palestinians said they did not have tank artillery or weaponry heavy enough to destroy a house. The army said it had killed the girl "mistakenly."

On June 27, three people were injured when settlers opened fire at their homes in Silwan. Furthermore, seven Palestinians and international peace activists were injured in Bet Ummar near Hebron after they were beaten by Israeli troops who prevented citizens from reaching their lands.

In Jerusalem, Israel continued its policy of home demolitions despite calls for its cessation. On June 30, Israeli forces demolished a home on the Mt. of Olives belonging to Khaled Abu Juma' and injured nine residents of the house when they clashed with the army. Other demolition orders were issued to homes and agricultural installations south of Bethlehem on the same day.

A day later on July 1, [west] Jerusalem municipality personnel handed the owners of seven homes in Wadi Hilweh in Silwan home demolition orders under the pretext that they were built without licenses. The houses, which are located between the Old City and Al Bustan Quarter have been threatened with demolition for months.

On the backdrop of Israel's policies in Jerusalem and what he says is the PA's indifference towards them, newly appointed Jerusalem Affairs Minister Hatem Abdul Qader resigned on June 30. His resignation comes only 40 days after the formation of the new government.

Abdul Qader, who is also a leading Fatah figure, pointed his finger at the Finance Ministry saying it ignores the cause of Jerusalem. "I refuse to remain for mere decorative purposes or to be an eyewitness to wrongdoings," he said, clarifying that he resigned after he realized he could do nothing to serve the city and its people in this capacity.

Also despite growing calls for Israel to halt its settlement activities, on June 29, Israeli authorities gave the green light to build 50 housing units in the Adam settlement in the West Bank. According to the Israeli Defense Ministry, the approval came as a means of compensation for settlers who are to be evacuated from the "illegal" Migron settlement outpost, adding that the 50 houses were part of a larger project to build 1,450 new units in the settlement in the future.

On a different note, Israel has agreed to pay compensation to the United Nations for the damage it caused to its facilities during its Operation Cast Lead between December and January in the Gaza Strip. On July 3, Karen AbuZayd, director of the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) said, "The Israelis have indicated that they will pay compensation, particularly for our buildings that have been destroyed."

Israel came under fire for more than its bombing of UN buildings, however. On July 2, an Amnesty International report strongly criticized Israel's actions in the Gaza Strip during its winter invasion.

"The pattern of Israeli attacks and the high number of civilian casualties showed elements of reckless conduct, disregard for civilian lives and property and a consistent failure to distinguish between military targets and civilians and civilian objects," the report charged.

"Thousands of civilian homes, businesses and public buildings were destroyed. In some areas entire neighborhoods were flattened and livestock killed. Much of the destruction was wanton and deliberate, and was carried out in a manner and circumstances which indicated that it could not be justified on grounds of military necessity. Rather, it was often the result of reckless and indiscriminate attacks, which were seemingly tolerated or even directly sanctioned up the chain of command, and which at times appeared intended to collectively punish local residents for the actions of armed groups."

The report, while primarily critical of Israel, did not exonerate Hamas from responsibility, however. An excerpt from the report reads, "Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups also violated international law. In southern Israel civilians also continued to come under attack from rockets fired daily by Palestinian armed groups throughout the 22-day conflict...killing three civilians and injuring dozens of others. Six Israeli soldiers were also killed in Palestinian attacks."

Hamas, of course, was unhappy with this section, saying the report was unfair and lacked professionalism. According to deposed Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, the report was erroneous on the fundamental point that it equated victim with victimizer.

On July 3, UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in the Palestinian territories Richard Falk, denounced the "unlawful seizure" of the Soul of Humanity vessel by an Israeli gunboat on June 30.

The boat was carrying medicine and reconstruction material to Gaza. On board, among others, was a Nobel laureate and former US congresswoman. It was seized by the Israeli navy and taken to the port of Ashdod where the 21 peace activists were arrested, held and later deported on the charge of "illegal entry" into Israel even though they were not entering Israel but the occupied Palestinian territories.

"Such a pattern of continuing blockade under these conditions amounts to such a serious violation of the Geneva Conventions as to constitute a continuing crime against humanity," Falk said.