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The Mecca Agreement And The Way Forward

Posted By Bamadi Gumel

The agreement reached and officially signed in the Holy City of Mecca aimed at curbing the in-fighting among the Palestinians marked the beginning of the hope for all Palestinians and the Muslim World in general. The spiralling violence which left more than 90 people dead came to an end after hammering the deal in the Islamic Holiest City on the 8th February was welcomed by the whole Muslim World as the only way forward. Despite some obstacles the agreement reached in Mecca has brought together the two main rivals the Fattah and Hamas locked in a battle for power that has spiralled into violence killing and maiming so many people in recent weeks. 

The encouraging deal signed after two days of talk chaired by King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia paved way to the formation of a new Unity Government replacing the current Hamas Government which won parliamentary election sometimes last year. According to the deal the Old Hamas Administration resigned and its Prime Minister Ismail Haniya was immediately asked to form a new coalition Government by the Palestinian President Abbas. There were scenes of celebrations in the occupied territories as the news of the peace deal was broken with jubilations Palestinians firing in the air. Although the European Union, the Israelis and the Americans in contrast were not as enthusiastic as the Arabs and the Muslim World as a whole yet the deal which stops short of recognising the Jewish State by Hamas was historic and could not have been reached anywhere apart from this Holy City of Mecca which had some effect on all the factional leaders. 

In the deal Hamas agreed to respect all the existing peace agreement reached between Israel and the Palestinian Authority set up in 1993 on the Land occupied by the Israelis since 1967 on which the Palestinians hoped to establish their own State. The formation of the Unity Government giving the Hamas 9 Cabinet Posts, 6 to the rival Fattah and 4 to the Independents was an attempt to end the economic boycott by the Western powers on the Hamas led Government which came to power after the democratic election to the dismay of its detractors who were hoping Fattah would do better in the election. 

Fortunately or unfortunately Fattah trailed terribly bad during the poll and Hamas won an overwhelming victory over it rival .This brought a kind of stand-off between the Administration and the Americans and the Western Powers and Israelis who refused to recognise the victory due to what they saw as Hamas insistence of not recognising the Jewish State as done by the previous Fattah Administration. 

The Unity Government which at least has persuaded the Hamas to respect all the existing peace agreement signed previously is a step forward despite the American reluctance to say the least. The Israelis have already said they are in agreement with the Americans that they would not recognise the Unity Government which stops short of recognising Israel and renounced violence as averred in the agreement. 

Political analysts are of the opinion that this is the best time for the West to help move forward with the historic peace agreement reached in Mecca despite all the obstacles which was impossible to have reached anywhere. Both the Israelis and Palestinians have to swallow the pill of anger and work together for their common good that would help stop violence on both sides at the same time help tackle the social and economic difficulties facing the Palestinians for decades. Much of the wrangling is only over the word respect rather than committing Hamas to a kind of coercing them to abide by the previous agreements as stated in the agreement. 

The sticking point according to commentators though the Western powers welcomed the agreement with caution yet they reiterated their conditions that it should be fully ratified before the sanction is lifted. However others are of the view that at least the agreement hammered which subtly forced Hamas to respect all existing agreement is enough justification to allow the whole world to sympathise with the Palestinians in their quest to have their independent homeland which they have been struggling and yet denied for over half a century. In the interest of justice fair play and above all the ending of violence in the Middle East and move forward the peace process there is the need for the peace brokers to be seen as fair, honest and just not be seen as unfair peace brokers who break peace taking side with one party thus imposing their views and will on the rival party thus making it impossible to swallow the bitter pill forced on them. 

The Mecca agreement reminds me of the Treaty of Hudeibiyya signed by the Prophet with the Meccans more than 1400 years which prevented him and his companions from performing the Lesser Hajj in the same City which he voluntarily accepted but proved bitter pills for the companions, who had no alternative other than to submit to the wishes of the Prophet which was seen as victory. 

Majority of Muslims are hoping this agreement would give the Palestinians the same kind of victory leading to the formation of their new State thus ending the violence between the two rival states the Palestinians and the Israelis who would live side by side in peace and harmony like every other State on condition that the deal must be given the chance to succeed. Therefore this is the only way forward so let us give peace a chance than to regret living in peaces.

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