Unity celebrations across Palestine
Gaza, May 5, Just like the initial signing on the Palestinian reconciliation paper in Cairo and the secretive meeting between Hamas and Fatah came as a surprise, on April 3rd came a new surprise when the Palestinian factions did the official final signing on the Egyptian paper of the Palestinian reconciliation. The signing came one day earlier than the day reported before.
As appointed before, the celebration ceremony came one day after the signing but again it didn’t happen as planned. It was postponed for a few hours and wasn’t aired live, but a conference was held with the presence of Hamas, Fatah, Mahmud Abbas, Palestinian president, Khaled Mashaal, chief of Hamas political Bureau, representatives of all Palestinian factions, independent Palestinian figures and media figures, Egyptian officials and prominent Arab and International figures.
Sources said that the reason behind not airing the celebration ceremony live came because Hamas and Fatah had a little argument about Mashaal sitting on the stage near Abass and making a speech representing all Palestinian factions. So they preferred not to air it live.
Unity celebrations took place across Palestine in both Gaza and the West Bank. People where chanting slogans of unity, cheering, honking their cars, waving Palestinian flags and flags representing all Palestinian factions and the Egyptian flag, wearing their Kuffeyeh and overwhelmed with the awaited happy feeling of unity.
Palestinians made sure they show Egypt their appreciation by holding Egyptian flags and waving them everywhere, they also chanted slogans thanking Egypt for their efforts and huge role in bringing the Palestinian division to an end.
This day was historical for many reasons, for example many things happened and will happen that never happened since four years ago like:
1- Raising the yellow flag of Fatah in Gaza.
2- Raising the green flag of Hamas in the West Bank.
3- News papers will be finally allowed in Gaza, Hamas newspapers will be allowed in the West Bank.
4- Al Aqsa TV (Hamas oriented) will air from the West Bank.
5- Palestine TV (Fatah oriented) will air live from Gaza.
6- Palestinians felt united.
Hamas issued statements saying “division” is history now while Mahmud Abass, Palestinian president, said that Hamas in a part of us and a part of Palestine and the division has ended.
Three things will be immediately done now after the reconciliation:
A- Releasing political prisoners from both Hamas and Fatah prisoners in Gaza and the West Bank.
B- Forming a technocratic transitional government.
C- Preparing for presidential and legislative elections which will happen one year from now.
Arabs showed their support of this Palestinian unity and asked all factions to make sure this unity lasts and be effective enough to end the Palestinian division for ever.
However, Israel continued issuing statements opposing the Palestinian unity issuing new reasons every time. The latest Israel reaction came when the Israeli ministers demanded Israel to permanently cut water and electric power on Gaza as a collective punishment for celebrating the Palestinian unity. Those Israeli ministers also asked Israel to keep halting the tax funds to put pressure on the Palestinian Authority to cancel the reconciliation.
Israel also said they have no intentions –whatsoever- in working with a new Palestinian government that includes Hamas in it unless Hamas makes essential changes ( by that they mean Hamas should recognize Israel).
Palestinian officials responded with one short response: “We choose unity and reconciliation”.
Youtube Videos showing Palestinians celebrating unity:
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