Reconciliation strengthens Palestinians: Muslim Council of Elders

CAIRO – 2 October 2017: The Muslim Council of Elders praised the Palestinian national reconciliation, and called on all Palestinians to move forward towards ending the split. The council added that this step strengthens the Palestinians and support their efforts to end the occupation and establish an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital.

Furthermore, the council appreciated the efforts exerted by Egypt and its wise leadership in mediation between the two rival factions Fatah and Hamas, which was the most important factor in the restoration of the Palestinian reunification and ending the division at a time when Palestinians are most in need of unity to face the occupation.
In addition, Al-Azhar issued a statement to welcome the adopted steps by the Palestinians towards achieving the national reconciliation, which culminated on Monday with the arrival of the Prime Minister of the Palestinian national consensus government, Ramy al-Hamdallah, to the Gaza Strip.Al-Azhar added that the vital role by Egypt to achieve the reconciliation reflects the pivotal historical and political position of Egypt in the region.

In the statement, Al-Azhar added, “We stress our support to the Palestinian people in their struggle to face the occupation and to establish their state with Jerusalem as its capital. We call on the Palestinians to uphold the national interest and adhere to unity.”
The Egyptian House of Fatwa said that the people in the Gaza Strip expressed their appreciation for Egypt’s efforts to support the Palestinian national reconciliation between Fatah and Hamas by raising the pictures of President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi and the Egyptian flags.

Despite a number of attempts to reconcile the Palestinian split, led by international and Arab efforts, only Egypt with its historical and political position was able to bring an end to this nightmare. Egypt managed to bring the conflicting Palestinian factions to overcome the obstacles and to invest the opportunities to create new conditions away from the fear of exclusion. Egypt helped the factions realize that they need to move forward towards a partnership based on the fact that Palestine is for all Palestinians.
On September 17, Hamas movement announced the dissolution of its administrative committee in the Gaza Strip, and invited the Consensus Government’s Prime Minster, Ramy al-Hamdallah to visit Gaza and assume his duties in the Strip. Hamas also called for holding general elections in Palestine. Furthermore, the movement confirmed complying with Cairo reconciliation accords 2011.