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Rivals to monitor Israeli pullout

Palestinian women and children from the Khan Yunes refugee camp in the Gaza Strip demonstrate yesterday in front of the wall that divides the camp from the Israeli settlement of Neve Dekalim. The operation to uproot the 8,000 Gaza settlers is due to begin next Wednesday. PHOTO: AFP

The Palestinian Authority and Hamas have agreed to work together to monitor the Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, officials from both sides said yesterday, indicating that the two rivals have managed to set aside recent tensions following violent clashes.

Hamas, however, turned down a demand by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas that it forego military-style victory celebrations during the pullout, and reiterated it would not disarm, a spokesman said.

Meanwhile, Israeli and Palestinian security officials announced that they will set up a joint operations center to keep tabs on the withdrawal. The center is the latest sign of security cooperation between the sides.

Beginning on Wednesday, Israel plans to uproot all 21 Jewish settlements in Gaza, ending 38 years of control over the area, along with four small enclaves in the West Bank.

The ruling Fatah movement and Hamas have been battling over who should get credit for the withdrawal. Hamas claims its repeated attacks on Israeli targets over the past five years have forced the Israelis to abandon Gaza.

While the Islamic group enjoys widespread popularity in Gaza, the Palestinian Authority could make a comeback if it quickly delivers some achievements after the pullout, winning some freedom of movement for fenced-in Gazans and creating jobs in the impoverished area.

Hamas fears that Fatah officials might take over abandoned Jewish settlements for personal gain. The tensions erupted into open clashes between the two sides last month, leaving two people dead.

The understandings between Hamas and the Palestinian Authority were reached on Tuesday during meetings between Abbas and senior Hamas officials, Hamas spokesman Mushir al-Masri said.

He said the sides "agreed on forming a committee to oversee the withdrawal and ensure that no one will benefit from the public properties, except the Palestinian people."

"Hamas will not accept a marginal role in the withdrawal," he added, though he conceded the committee will "not be an alternative to the Palestinian Authority and will not run the Gaza Strip."

He also said Hamas had received assurances that jobs in government offices and security forces would be open to all Palestinians, not just members of Fatah.

As part of the agreement, Hamas agreed to participate in parliamentary elections, despite a six-month delay.

Samir Masharawi, a prominent Fatah leader in Gaza who participated in the negotiations, confirmed the deal in an interview on Voice of Palestine Radio.

In a speech to the Palestinian parliament on Tuesday, Abbas called on all Palestinians to ensure calm during the Israeli pullout. He urged Palestinians not to loot abandoned Jewish settlements, and called on militants to refrain from excessive celebrations and lay down their weapons after the pullout.

Al-Masri said Hamas reserved the right to hold military-style celebrations if it wanted to.

"The way we celebrate is our own business," he said.

He also rejected the call to disarm, saying the group wants to remain prepared for a possible Israeli return to Gaza.

Israel has threatened a massive ground operation into Gaza if soldiers or settlers are attacked during the pullout, which is expected to take several weeks. Some 55,000 security forces are participating in the operation, which will remove about 8,500 settlers from Gaza.
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