No choice but Palestinian unity

DFLP leader Talal Abu Zareefa Ramallah – Emtyaz Al Mograbi The left-wing Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine [DFLP] and the Egyptian government have agreed to allow the Palestine Liberation Organisation's [PLO] leadership to discuss reconciliation in Egypt next month, according to DFLP leader Talal Abu Zareefa, speaking exclusively to Arabstoday. Abu Zareefa said the DFLP's agenda for the meeting, due to be held in Cairo in early February, will include Palestinian reconciliation as well as various obstacles that have halted the implementation of agreements already signed between Fatah and Hamas. The DFLP will also ask that bilateral implementation mechanisms including just Hamas and Fatah be scrapped in favour of "the partnership and participation of all the Palestinian factions." This mirrors recent calls made by Hamas chief Khaled Meshaal in Cairo, claiming reconciliation must “involve everyone.” "There is an urgent need to adopt the principle of full proportional representation in presidential and legislative elections,” Zareefa said. “One electoral law should apply to all Palestinian institutions.” He added: “There is also a need to formulate an alternative national strategy based on defensive forms of resistance, with a united resistance front [both popular and armed] bringing together all factions to defend the Gaza Strip.” Abu Zareefa claimed the upcoming Cairo meetings were "preparing the climate for reconciliation" as well as hoping to implement interfactional agreements terms already signed on in the Egyptian capital, as well as Doha, before 2011. However, the DFLP leader reminded Arabstoday that despite the positive atmosphere surrounding reconciliation meetings and Fatah’s landmark 48th anniversary celebrations in Gaza, these events “do not resolve the issue.” Instead Zareefa emphasised the need to halt international and regional “interference” in Palestinian affairs, which he said were “being exploited to disrupt reconciliation.” Discussing the past achievements and major challenges ahead for Palestinian resistance politics, Abu Zareefa said: "If we wish to build on these policies and confront Israeli settlement, we have no choice but to recover Palestinian unity."