Hamas

Weeks after a Palestinian “reconciliation” accord was signed in Cairo with much fanfare, little appears to have happened. What is going on?

The Palestinian Authority (PA) will continue to cooperate with the Israeli occupation army even after a Hamas-backed “national unity government” is formed, Saeb Erekat, Palestinian chief negotiator has told The Electronic Intifada.

In an oped for Al Jazeera English today, The Electronic Intifada’s Ali Abunimah takes a deeper look at the “reconciliation” deal signed by Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah in Cairo last week and argues that contrary to the hopes of many Palestinians it may be a dead end:

Despite the Hamas-Fatah “unity” deal, Israeli army officers say they expect that Palestinian Authority security forces will continue their open collaboration with Israel, not just against Hamas, but also against Palestinian popular protests and marches on May 15.

Palestine Monitor, the website affiliated with the Al Mubadara movement of Dr. Mustafa Barghouti, has published what it says is the “Text Of The Agreement Between Fatah And Hamas” to be officially signed in Cairo this week.

Yesterday marked International Workers’ Day, also known as May Day and Labor Day. The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights has issued two statements related to this annual commemoration. The first outlines Israel’s violations of Palestinians’ right to work, and the other condemns the Interior Ministry in Gaza’s banning of an assembly of workers to mark International Workers’ Day.

On Israel’s labor rights violations: