Linked to UN bid

Palestinian observers said achieving the reconciliation deal might be strongly linked to the Fatah-led Palestinian leadership's determination to approach the United Nations in September for an international recognition of an independent Palestinian state amid the opposition from the United States.

Talal Oukal, a Gaza-based political analyst, told Xinhua that both Fatah and Hamas decided to meet particularly during this time to reiterate their commitment to implementing the reconciliation and to admit that there was a certain political situation obliging them to postpone implementing the pact.

"The major political situation is related to approaching the UN and gaining the Arab political and financial support to the Palestinian National Authority, besides the ongoing developments in some neighboring Arab countries that still witness popular demonstrations," said Oukal.

Leaders of the two rival groups are scheduled to meet again after the Eid al-Fetter holidays in early September. Four major committees will be formed for the debates and discussions over the basic outstanding issues.

Gaps remain large

The idea of forming four different committees to resolve marginal outstanding issues with the participation of representatives from other political factions would keep the door open for resolving the major outstanding issues, analysts said.

Mekhemer Abu Se'da, a political science professor at al-Azhar University in Gaza City, told Xinhua that such a situation shows that the two parties "are interested in keeping the file of reconciliation unresolved because they haven't agreed on any specific timetable for finalizing the reconciliation pact."

"Reaching a real reconciliation needs to have the real political goodwill of the two sides," Abu Se'da told Xinhua, adding that the gaps between the two sides are still large, mainly in resolving the issues related to the formation of the new government and the nomination of the prime minister."

Apparently, there are foreign powers and agendas behind finalizing the reconciliation, Abu Se'da said, "those powers had unfortunately negative impact on the national unity of the Palestinian people and on achieving their national goals of independence."