Palestinian analysts and observers questioned the success of the meeting of the general secretaries of the Palestinian factions in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, on July 30, in light of the widening gap between the Palestinian parties and the loss of common ground between them.

Analysts and observers told Xinhua that the Palestinian factions do not want to cancel or postpone the meeting in light of the huge gap so as not to bear the responsibility before the Palestinian people for appearing not concerned with unity, at a time when the need for it is increasing.

The Cairo emergency meeting comes in response to the call of the Palestinian leadership, following its meeting chaired by President Mahmoud Abbas at the presidential residence about two weeks ago, to agree on a comprehensive national vision and unite the ranks to confront and confront the Israeli aggression.

The leadership meeting came at the time to discuss the repercussions of the large-scale military operation in Jenin and its refugee camp in the northern West Bank, which resulted in the killing of 12 Palestinians and the injury of 150 others, including serious cases, in addition to the great destruction of infrastructure, shops and homes.

The meeting of the general secretaries is scheduled to include 14 Palestinian factions, most notably the Palestinian National Liberation Movement (Fatah), the Islamic Resistance (Hamas), Islamic Jihad, the Popular and Democratic Fronts for the Liberation of Palestine, and the Palestinian People's Party.
The deputy head of the Fatah movement, Mahmoud Al-Aloul, stressed in press statements a few days ago the importance of making the meeting a success so that there would be a collective responsibility towards the crimes and continuous violations against the Palestinian people by the Israeli army and settlers.

In turn, Azzam Al-Ahmad, a member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, told reporters in Ramallah that the meeting is a prelude to forming a government of national unity that adheres to the Palestine Liberation Organization as the sole and legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.

- The meeting is a repetition of what is previously or seizing the last opportunity

Writer and political analyst Rasem Obeidat from the West Bank says that the meeting of the general secretaries of the factions, which is supposed to constitute an important entry point for addressing the Palestinian internal affairs and how to manage the conflict with Israel, must provide the elements of success for it and provide guarantees for the implementation of the agreed outputs.

Obeidat adds that the secretaries-general of the factions must deviate from the norm by not using the same phrases and terminology previously, because they will inevitably lead to failure and deepen the crisis and division in the Palestinian arena under a right-wing Israeli government.

And he continues that the participants in the meeting are required to stop working on the transitional phase of the (Oslo) agreement signed between the Palestine Liberation Organization and Israel in 1993, which means withdrawing recognition of Israel, completely stopping all forms of security coordination with it, and getting out of economic dependence on it.

Obeidat believes that "the failure of the meeting of the general secretaries of the factions means that the Palestinian arena will enter into more crises, disagreements and divisions, deepening popular discontent and losing confidence in the factions, and making any upcoming dialogue useless."

In conjunction with the preparations for holding the Cairo meeting, Palestinian factions, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad, organized demonstrations and vigils in different areas of the West Bank and Gaza Strip, rejecting what they called "political arrest and prosecution of resistance fighters."

For his part, the Secretary-General of Islamic Jihad, Ziyad al-Nakhala, said in a statement that "the arrests against members of the movement in the West Bank may expose the meeting of the general secretaries of the factions to failure."

Hussam Badran, a member of the political bureau of Hamas, called in the Palestinian Authority's statement for the immediate and unconditional release of "detainees, especially in Jenin and its camp," calling on "various parties to end and reject political arrests."

On the other hand, the Political Commissioner General and official spokesman for the Palestinian security establishment, Major General Talal Dweikat, said in a statement that "no one is arrested on the grounds of political affiliation."

Dweikat stated that "the arrest or detention of some people came on the basis of legal warrants issued by the competent authorities after some citizens submitted complaints, and accordingly, their arrest came to complete the legal procedures."

- Blurred issues at the meeting

Writer Mustafa Ibrahim from Gaza says, "There is no information about the agenda and issues that will be discussed in the meeting, and its titles are vague. In the absence of the truth and the path of reconciliation has been disrupted, therefore, the faction leaders are required to back down from policies that increase tension, stop political arrests, and calm the scene."

He continues that some of the ruling elite are linked to their own interests, while not forgetting the Israeli occupation's policies of destroying the lives of Palestinians and impoverishing them, and that there are Palestinians living in difficult economic conditions and increasing rates of unemployment and poverty in large proportions.

He believes that the return from Cairo is weaker and more divisive, and will cost a lot politically, economically and socially, and will lead to more incitement, hatred, submission to the occupation policy and its conditions, and contentment with the economic facilities it provides that keep people between life and death.

He points out that returning from Cairo without results will create more disappointments for the Palestinians, those who love and support Palestine, and give the normalizers another opportunity to strengthen the relationship with Israel, because we could not present the model for managing our affairs and the true face of the Palestinian people who seek freedom and self-determination.

The Palestinians have been suffering from internal division since mid-2007, after Hamas took control of the situation in the Strip, which is home to more than two million people, by force, while several understandings failed to achieve reconciliation.

- Reproduction of previous dialogues and agreements

The director of the (Masarat) Center for Research and Studies in Ramallah, Hani Al-Masri, says that the scenario of producing dialogues is possible and has a great chance of being realized through the issuance of a statement from the two conferees, similar to previous agreements that were not implemented or partially implemented and quickly collapsed.

Al-Masry added that the conferees may agree to form an agreed-upon government that will consolidate the fait accompli and that it does not end the division and does not hold elections, at least in the near future. However, it eases tension and helps manage some files, such as dealing with the plans and policies of the Israeli government.

Al-Masri continues that the Fatah and Hamas movements adhere to their conditions that prevented the success of unity efforts in the past, in addition to the external factors that impede unity, the impact of which cannot be underestimated, indicating that one side of the two sides of the division does not want unity unless it manages to bring the other team under its leadership.

He believes that the Palestinian efforts face a major obstacle represented in the presence of an Israeli government that will be more opposed to any step that could unite the Palestinians, including holding Palestinian elections that would strengthen the Palestinians in confronting them.

He points out that the pessimism about progress in the Cairo meeting is due to the fact that the interest groups of continuing the division are the strongest and control over the two conflicting authorities, while the forces and groups that move to end the division and embody the national interest and unity are still weak and not unified in their visions and demands.

Al-Masri stresses the necessity of accumulating strength to crystallize a third current that includes forces and movements that believe in the necessity of change and work to provide the requirements for its occurrence, because the region and the world are witnessing transformations and changes that could open the doors of opportunities and Palestinian change, without which it is not possible to proceed on the path of national salvation.