2022 Palestinian Reconciliation Agreement
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The 2022 Palestinian reconciliation agreement, officially the Algerian document for Palestinian reconciliation (
Arabic Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic languages, Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C ...
: الورقة الجزائرية للمصالحة الفلسطينية) and referred to by the Algiers declaration (Arabic: إعلان الجزائر) in Arab media, is an agreement signed by 14 different Palestinian factions, including
Fatah Fatah ( ar, فتح '), formerly the Palestinian National Liberation Movement, is a Palestinian nationalist social democratic political party and the largest faction of the confederated multi-party Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and ...
and
Hamas Hamas (, ; , ; an acronym of , "Islamic Resistance Movement") is a Palestinian Sunni-Islamic fundamentalist, militant, and nationalist organization. It has a social service wing, Dawah, and a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Bri ...
, as part of the reconciliation process between the two factions in a conflict that started in the aftermath of the
2006 Palestinian legislative election Legislative elections were held in the Palestinian territories on 25 January 2006 in order to elect the second Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), the legislature of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA). The result was a victory for Hamas ...
s and included the 2007 Hamas takeover of Gaza. Months of talks leading to the deal were conducted in
Algeria ) , image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Algiers , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , relig ...
in preparation for the first
Arab League summit The Arab League ( ar, الجامعة العربية, ' ), formally the League of Arab States ( ar, جامعة الدول العربية, '), is a regional organization in the Arab world, which is located in Northern Africa, Western Africa, E ...
since the
COVID pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identifi ...
. The agreement included provisions to hold
presidential President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese fu ...
and
parliamentary elections A general election is a political voting election where generally all or most members of a given political body are chosen. These are usually held for a nation, state, or territory's primary legislative body, and are different from by-elections ( ...
within a year of its signing. However, no new Palestinian elections were held throughout 2023, owing in part to Israeli opposition to allow voting in East Jerusalem. Just as the deadline was nearing the
Israel–Hamas war An armed conflict between Israel and Hamas-led Palestinian militant groups has been taking place chiefly in and around the Gaza Strip since 7 October 2023. On that day, Palestinian militant groups launched 2023 Hamas attack on Israel, a surp ...
was started, rendering the deal ineffectual.


Background


Fatah and Hamas

Fatah Fatah ( ar, فتح '), formerly the Palestinian National Liberation Movement, is a Palestinian nationalist social democratic political party and the largest faction of the confederated multi-party Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and ...
and
Hamas Hamas (, ; , ; an acronym of , "Islamic Resistance Movement") is a Palestinian Sunni-Islamic fundamentalist, militant, and nationalist organization. It has a social service wing, Dawah, and a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Bri ...
are currently the two largest of the Palestinian factions. Founded in 1969, Fatah is the leading member of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), which is an
umbrella organization An umbrella organization is an association of (often related, industry-specific) institutions who work together formally to coordinate activities and/or pool resources. In business, political, and other environments, it provides resources and ofte ...
consisting of several movements. It takes a moderate stance on the conflict with Israel, favoring a
two-state solution The two-state solution to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict envisions an independent State of Palestine alongside the State of Israel, west of the Jordan River. The boundary between the two states is still subject to dispute and negotiation ...
where the Palestinian state would be built on the
West Bank The West Bank ( ar, الضفة الغربية, translit=aḍ-Ḍiffah al-Ġarbiyyah; he, הגדה המערבית, translit=HaGadah HaMaʽaravit, also referred to by some Israelis as ) is a landlocked territory near the coast of the Mediter ...
and
Gaza Strip The Gaza Strip (;The New Oxford Dictionary of English (1998) – p.761 "Gaza Strip /'gɑːzə/ a strip of territory under the control of the Palestinian National Authority and Hamas, on the SE Mediterranean coast including the town of Gaza.. ...
, with
East Jerusalem East Jerusalem (, ; , ) is the sector of Jerusalem that was held by Jordan during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, as opposed to the western sector of the city, West Jerusalem, which was held by Israel. Jerusalem was envisaged as a separat ...
as its capital. Hamas, on the other hand, is a Sunni Islamist movement founded in 1987, that advocates for the destruction of Israel. It is, in whole or in part, designated as a
terrorist organization A number of national governments and two international organizations have created lists of organizations that they designate as terrorist. The following list of designated terrorist groups lists groups designated as terrorist by current and fo ...
by several countries, including the United States. However, in recent years Hamas has accepted a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza as a temporary solution to the conflict.


Fatah-Hamas conflict


Elections and Battle of Gaza

The
Fatah–Hamas conflict The Fatah–Hamas conflict ( ar, النزاع بين فتح وحماس ''an-Nizāʿ bayna Fataḥ wa-Ḥamās'') is an ongoing political and strategic conflict between Fatah and Hamas, the two main Palestinian political parties in the Palestinia ...
started in the aftermath of the legislative elections of 2006, in which Hamas participated, winning 74 out of 132 seats. Fatah refused to cooperate with the Hamas government, led by
Ismail Haniyeh Ismail Abdel Salam Ahmed Haniyeh; sometimes transliterated as Haniya, Haniyah, or Hanieh (born 29 January 1962) is a senior political leader of Hamas and formerly one of two disputed Prime Ministers of the Palestinian National Authority. Haniy ...
. Tensions boiled on 10 June 2007, when armed clashes between Fatah and Hamas forces erupted in the Gaza strip. By 15 June, the Gaza strip was, in its entirety, under the control of Hamas militants.


Reconciliation talks and previous agreements

Prior to 2022, there have been several attempts at reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas, with
Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...
and
Qatar Qatar (, ; ar, قطر, Qaṭar ; local vernacular pronunciation: ), officially the State of Qatar,) is a country in Western Asia. It occupies the Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East; it sh ...
serving as mediators. A number of agreements have been reached and implemented to various degrees, such as the Sana'a Declaration in 2008, the
Fatah–Hamas Doha Agreement The Fatah–Hamas Doha Agreement was a reconciliation attempt between Fatah and Hamas, signed on 7 February 2012. The parties agreed to form an interim national consensus government composed of independent technocrats, to prepare for upcoming elec ...
in 2012, the Gaza and Cairo agreements in 2014, the 2020 agreement as well as three agreements held in
Cairo Cairo ( ; ar, القاهرة, al-Qāhirah, ) is the capital of Egypt and its largest city, home to 10 million people. It is also part of the largest urban agglomeration in Africa, the Arab world and the Middle East: The Greater Cairo metro ...
– in
2011 File:2011 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: a protester partaking in Occupy Wall Street heralds the beginning of the Occupy movement; protests against Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, who was killed that October; a young man celebrate ...
,
2012 File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gather ...
and
2017 File:2017 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The War Against ISIS at the Battle of Mosul (2016-2017); aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing; The Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 ("Great American Eclipse"); North Korea tests a ser ...
. After the last one
Palestinian Authority The Palestinian National Authority (PA or PNA; ar, السلطة الوطنية الفلسطينية '), commonly known as the Palestinian Authority and officially the State of Palestine,
President
Mahmoud Abbas Mahmoud Abbas ( ar, مَحْمُود عَبَّاس, Maḥmūd ʿAbbās; born 15 November 1935), also known by the kunya Abu Mazen ( ar, أَبُو مَازِن, links=no, ), is the president of the State of Palestine and the Palestinian Natio ...
postponed elections without setting a new date, reportedly due to fear the Israeli government will not allow voting in East Jerusalem.


Negotiations

In January 2022, Hamas announced that a delegation headed by
Ismail Haniyeh Ismail Abdel Salam Ahmed Haniyeh; sometimes transliterated as Haniya, Haniyah, or Hanieh (born 29 January 1962) is a senior political leader of Hamas and formerly one of two disputed Prime Ministers of the Palestinian National Authority. Haniy ...
would be going to
Algeria ) , image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Algiers , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , relig ...
for "Palestinian unity talks," after receiving an invitation from the Algerian ambassador in Qatar, where Haniyeh is based. In July 2022,
Mahmoud Abbas Mahmoud Abbas ( ar, مَحْمُود عَبَّاس, Maḥmūd ʿAbbās; born 15 November 1935), also known by the kunya Abu Mazen ( ar, أَبُو مَازِن, links=no, ), is the president of the State of Palestine and the Palestinian Natio ...
, leader of Fatah and
President of the Palestinian National Authority The president of the Palestinian National Authority ( ar, رئيس السلطة الوطنية الفلسطينية) is the highest-ranking political position (equivalent to head of state) in the Palestinian National Authority (PNA). The presiden ...
, held a public meeting with Haniyeh for the first time in more than five years in
Algiers Algiers ( ; ar, الجزائر, al-Jazāʾir; ber, Dzayer, script=Latn; french: Alger, ) is the capital and largest city of Algeria. The city's population at the 2008 Census was 2,988,145Census 14 April 2008: Office National des Statistiques ...
, the capital city of Algeria. Hamas hailed the "historic" meeting. In September 2022, it was reported that delegations from Fatah and Hamas have headed to Algeria to conduct of talks on reconciliation.


Agreement

A number of media outlets in the Arab world have released the text of the agreement, which was officially signed at a ceremony on 13 October 2022 in Algiers. The agreement included the following provisions: * The affirmation that the
Palestine Liberation Organization The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO; ar, منظمة التحرير الفلسطينية, ') is a Palestinian nationalism, Palestinian nationalist political and militant organization founded in 1964 with the initial purpose of establ ...
is the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, and the adoption of national dialogue to ensure the involvement of all factions to the organization. * Elections to the
Palestinian National Council The Palestinian National Council (PNC) ( ar, المجلس الوطني الفلسطيني, "'Almajlis Alwataniu Alfilastiniu"') is the legislative body of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and elects the PLO Executive Committee, which ...
, the legislative body of the PLO, would be held within a year of signing the agreement. (Algeria offered to host the meetings of the council after its election, a proposal which "was appreciated of all the factions participating in the conference.") *
Presidential President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) *President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese fu ...
and
parliamentary elections A general election is a political voting election where generally all or most members of a given political body are chosen. These are usually held for a nation, state, or territory's primary legislative body, and are different from by-elections ( ...
for the
Palestinian National Authority The Palestinian National Authority (PA or PNA; ar, السلطة الوطنية الفلسطينية '), commonly known as the Palestinian Authority and officially the State of Palestine,
would be held in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including the city of
Jerusalem Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...
, within a year of signing the agreement. (The agreement described Jerusalem as "the capital of the Palestinian state," without specifically mentioning
East Jerusalem East Jerusalem (, ; , ) is the sector of Jerusalem that was held by Jordan during the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, as opposed to the western sector of the city, West Jerusalem, which was held by Israel. Jerusalem was envisaged as a separat ...
, which is the capital of Palestine in the two-state solution, while
West Jerusalem West Jerusalem or Western Jerusalem (, ; , ) refers to the section of Jerusalem that was controlled by Israel at the end of the 1948 Arab–Israeli War. As the city was divided by the Green Line (Israel's erstwhile border, established by t ...
's status is ambiguous in such a settlement.) * An "Algerian Arab team" would be responsible for overseeing the implementation of the agreement. The agreement was signed by 14 Palestinian factions.


Reactions

Azzam al-Ahmad Azzam al-Ahmad ( ar, عزام الأحمد) (born 1947 in Rummanah, Jenin) (previously Minister of Public Works and Housing portfolio added on 9 June 2002) received a BA in Economics from Baghdad University. He was the head of the General Union ...
, the head of Fatah's delegation to Algiers, said that the factions "signed this agreement to get rid of the malignant cancer of division that has entered the Palestinian body," and expressed his movement's optimism "that the agreement is implemented and will not remain ink on paper." Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of Hamas, said, "It is a day of joy in Palestine and Algeria and for those who love the
Palestinian cause Palestinian nationalism is the national movement of the Palestinian people that espouses self-determination and sovereignty over the region of Palestine.de Waart, 1994p. 223 Referencing Article 9 of ''The Palestinian National Charter of 1968' ...
, but a day of sadness for the Zionist entity."
Abdelmadjid Tebboune Abdelmadjid Tebboune ( ar, عبد المجيد تبون, ʿAbd al-Majīd Tabbūn; born 17 November 1945) is an Algerian politician currently serving as the President of Algeria since December 2019 and as Minister of Defence. He took over the po ...
, the
President of Algeria The president of the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria is the head of state and chief executive of Algeria, as well as the commander-in-chief of the Algerian People's National Armed Forces. History of the office The Tripoli Program, whi ...
, attended the signing ceremony, hailing the agreement and saying that the
Palestinian state Palestine ( ar, فلسطين, Filasṭīn), officially the State of Palestine ( ar, دولة فلسطين, Dawlat Filasṭīn, label=none), is a state located in Western Asia. Officially governed by the Palestine Liberation Organization (PL ...
"went through setbacks, problems and conspiracies, but today,
Alhamdulillah ''Alhamdulillah'' ( ar, ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّٰهِ, ') is an Arabic phrase meaning "praise be to God", sometimes translated as "thank God". This phrase is called ''Tahmid'' ( ar, تَحْمِيد, lit=Praising, link=no). A longer varian ...
, we witness a historic day."
Mustafa Barghouti Mustafa Barghouti ( ar, مصطفى البرغوثي; born 1 January 1954) is a Palestinian physician, activist, and politician who serves as General Secretary of the Palestinian National Initiative (PNI), also known as al Mubadara. He has been ...
,
secretary-general Secretary is a title often used in organizations to indicate a person having a certain amount of authority, power, or importance in the organization. Secretaries announce important events and communicate to the organization. The term is derived ...
of the Palestinian National Initialtive, told the
CNN CNN (Cable News Network) is a multinational cable news channel headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable news channel, and presently owned by the M ...
that "it was agreed to elect the
Palestinian National Council The Palestinian National Council (PNC) ( ar, المجلس الوطني الفلسطيني, "'Almajlis Alwataniu Alfilastiniu"') is the legislative body of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and elects the PLO Executive Committee, which ...
at home and abroad, using a
proportional representation system Proportional representation (PR) refers to a type of electoral system under which subgroups of an electorate are reflected proportionately in the elected body. The concept applies mainly to geographical (e.g. states, regions) and political divis ...
with the participation of all Palestinian factions, within a maximum period of one year from the date of signing the declaration."


References

{{Reflist 2022 in Algeria 2022 in the State of Palestine 2022 in international relations Palestinian reconciliation agreement, 2022 October 2022 events in Africa Intra-Palestinian peace efforts Algeria–State of Palestine relations Fatah–Hamas conflict History of Fatah History of Hamas