BICOM

Initial Palestinian reports from late last night indicated that the leaders of rival Palestinian movements Fatah and Hamas might have found a way to break a long political deadlock, by forming an interim unity government that would be led by current Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.

Abbas, the chief of Fatah, and Khaled Meshaal, the politburo leader of Hamas, met in Qatar for talks this weekend on how to move forward with reconciliation efforts. Under an accord signed last May, both sides agreed to form a government of independent technocrats to prepare for elections by May this year, but they had been unable to agree on a candidate for the post of interim-prime minister.

The Palestinian Information Center, a news Web site linked with Hamas, reported that the two sides had reached “a preliminary agreement that Abbas take responsibility for the government in the coming phase.” Ma’an, a Palestinian news agency, also reported a proposal that would have Abbas doubling up as interim-prime minister and president.

The road to reconciliation has been beset with difficulties. Since the agreement was signed last May, little has changed on the ground in the Palestinian territories. The latest push for reconciliation come as Hamas is in flux, with its leadership outside the Palestinian territories on the move because of the escalating turmoil in Syria.

The scheduled meeting between Abbas and Arab League to discuss the peace process is now reportedly postponed to 11 February. Unity between Hamas and Fatah will significantly complicate preliminary talks between Israeli and Palestinian negotiators. The Arab League will therefore have to assess the diplomatic situation once Palestinian internal-political developments become clearer.