Unlike its Islamic rivals who control Gaza, the West Bank-based Palestinian National Authority (PNA) has settled on the U.S.-proposed indirect peace negotiations with Israel in parallel with adopting non-violent resistance against Jewish settlement activities.
In Gaza, Hamas, which took over the coastal enclave by force in 2007, has been maintaining a ceasefire with Israel since the end of Gaza war last year; neither allowing other factions to fire rockets into Israel nor encouraging peaceful demonstrations against Israel's attempts to enforce a buffer zone along its borders with Gaza.
In the meantime, both movements could not reconcile as Hamas rebuffed an Egyptian plan to bury the hatchet with Fatah. As a result, Egypt suspended its efforts to push the national Palestinian agreement that would restore political unity to Gaza and the West Bank and help lifting an Israeli blockade on Gaza.
Before the PNA accepted Washington's proximity talks offer, analysts believe that Hamas and Fatah had kept an idle position for months and each party had waited an onward step from the other party to make its decisions according to that step.
Given the shaky ceasefire, suspension of Hamas-Israel's mediated negotiations on prisoner exchange, the absence of national reconciliation and the continuation of Gaza siege, the question is where will Hamas go?
According to Hamas' spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri, said his movement 's strategy is to "counter the (Israeli) aggression and defend the Palestinian people's political rights." However, he could not tell the way or the extent of progress Hamas has made in applying its plan.
By insisting on imposing its vision on any plan to reconcile with Fatah, and by keeping controlling Gaza despite the intra- Palestinian split, "Hamas is working to get an international and Arabic recognition of its role in the Palestinian politics," says Hani Al-Massri, an analyst based in the West Bank.
Talal Oukal, another analyst from Gaza, agrees that Hamas -- through this frozen status -- "wants to tell the world that it is capable of controlling Gaza, especially the security situation there."
Al-Massri says that any solution to the entire Palestinian cause would be difficult "without Hamas being part of the political system and if it was not recognized."
Hamas' unwillingness to find a quick settlement to outstanding issues aims at attracting the attention of the U.S. administration and the Europeans, who classify Hamas as a terrorist organization, to open dialogue with them. "Hamas' position is that we are ready to talk to the others like the Americans and the Europeans... it is like we are here. talk to us," said Oukal.
last week, Hamas met an unofficial U.S. delegation comprising former diplomats in Gaza. Following the meeting, Ahmed Yousef, an aide to Hamas' Prime Minister Ismail Haneya, said his deposed government wants to establish direct dialogue with the U.S. administration.
But for Mustafa al-Sawaf, a pro Hamas analyst, Hamas is interested in the current "calm" in Gaza "to continue rebuild and upgrading the infrastructure of resistance to be ready for a military confrontation with Israel."
Away from this, Hamas is going forward in gradually imposing an Islamic lifestyle on the society and intimidating private freedoms and activities that do not fit in with Islamic customs. The burning of a UN-run summer camp on Gaza beach Sunday and banning Gaza NGO's from staging a protest against the vandalism on Monday is just a fresh example.
Recently, Hamas restored taxes on fuel, taxis and professions despite the economical deterioration that is taking its toll on the people due to the siege. In a rare incident that reminds Palestinians about the Israeli army's acts, Hamas demolished a dozen house in northern Gaza Strip by bulldozers, saying the structures were an aggression on public land.
Observers found it different to analyze Hamas' performance as some traced it down to a state of confusion Hamas is experiencing and others said it signals indications not to give up control of Gaza.
"The taxes reflect a financial crisis of Hamas," says Al-Massri, adding that the demolishing of houses "is a wrong and harmful step " because Gaza is under siege and many houses are still in ruin since the end of the war. "Claiming to enforce law in lawless territory is a big lie."
Oukal, the Gaza analyst, said Hamas is trying "to crystallize an authority in every aspect." He added that Hamas, which its four- year term in parliament has ended in January, doesn't thing there is going to be imminent election. "Otherwise, it will not have performed in this way."
For Hamas, the resumption of peace talks with Israel "would fail and Fatah would pay a high price for accepting the negotiation," as Abu Zuhri said. Al-Massri responded that both Hamas and Fatah believe what they do is the right thing.
Al-Massri concluded that "there can't be reconciliation before Hamas and Fatah are convinced that they have to be partners and respect the national program."
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