Palestine hopes for support as reconciliation process underway

Palestine is looking forward for support from the Malaysian government and its people on the formation of a united Palestine state after Hamas announced its decision to reconcile with rival Fatah party this month, said its Ambassador to Malaysia Datuk Dr Anwar Al Agha.

"We always look to Malaysia as a brotherly country. We are hoping that the Malaysian government will support us in this great news.

"We hope to have consultations with the Malaysian people to have more support on this matter," he told Bernama here recently.

According to international reports, Hamas in a statement on Sept 17 agreed to dissolve the Gaza administrative committee which it controls since 2007, enter into talks with Fatah, and agreed to hold general elections.

Palestine Prime Minister Rami al-Hamdallah was in Gaza on Monday and chaired the first meeting of the Palestinian cabinet in the Gaza Strip since 2014, the next day.

The ambassador said even as some parties were pessimistic of the reconciliation move due to previous failed attempts, leaders from the two parties together with the support from the Egyptian leadership would work harder to ensure that their move this time would bear fruit.

"I think this time around, all parties are very much concerned about the reconciliation and we want a good result. This is not just some photo opportunity and we want the reconciliation process to continue," he said, adding that the Palestinian leadership under President Mahmoud Abbas is very keen to bring all parties together.

The ambassador said Palestinians from all walks of life are looking forward to a united Palestine leadership, as together they could focus in their fight against the Israeli occupation, and work towards establishing a state of Palestine with East Jerusalem as its capital.

Previous attempts to reconcile the two major Palestinian political movements had failed but things appear to be positive after Ismail Haniyeh was elected new Hamas political bureau in May this year.

The last legislative election was held in 2006, won by Hamas, and it intensified the conflict between Hamas and Fatah. Clashes between the two resulted in the split of the Palestinian National Authority and saw Hamas governing the Gaza Strip since 2007.

-- BERNAMA