A “secret meeting” was held in Ramallah, in the West Bank by those who fear the success of the Turkish-Israeli agreement and pulling Gaza Strip from their grasp a few hours after the official announcement of the Turkish-Israeli agreement to normalize the relations and to ease the siege imposed on the Gaza Strip, as well as providing thousands of tons of Turkish humanitarian aid, Alkhaleejonline reported.
On Wednesday, the Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas and Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry met for negotiations on many different issues.
The first file to be discussed on the negotiations table was the Turkish-Israeli agreement and how to abort it to keep Gaza on its current status. The last issue on negotiations was the “reconciliation and French initiative and the Israeli attacks on Al-Aqsa.”
A prominent leader in Fath movement-who asked to remain anonymous for his sensitive position-said that the Palestinian Authority and Egypt believe that the Turkish-Israeli agreement on Gaza strip is “dangerous” and has negative repercussions (for them).
He said that “During a closed meeting between Abbas and Shoukry which lasted for more four hours, the Egyptian official didn’t hide his fear from the increasing Turkish influence in the Gaza Strip through passing aids estimated at 11 thousand tons which would be a start for lifting the blockade gradually on Gaza, which make Gaza less dependent on its neighbors.
He explained that “Shoukry told Abbas in a verbal message carried from Abdel Fattah al-Sisi that the latter perceives that the Turkish influence is expanding in Gaza, and that easing the blockade on the Gaza Strip would harm the Egyptian national security and must come to an end.”
He revealed that Fatah leader Abbas and Shoukry discussed in-depth ways to face this agreement, and that there are practical steps in this direction that will start with a foreign tour by Abbas to a number of Arab countries to show what he called the “risks” of this agreement on Gaza and Egypt.
He also added that there was an agreement not to enter any new player in Gaza strip and to abort all the Turkish plans to control Gaza with the assistance of Hamas, whose relations have deteriorated with the Egyptian ruling regime.
Alkhaleejonline’s reporter was informed that Abbas will hold in his headquarters at the western bank two emergency meetings for the PLO Executive Committee and the Fatah Central Committee to inform them of his meeting with Egypt’s foreign minister and the steps that are going to be taken to face the latest Turkish-Israeli agreement.”
The Palestinian Authority has actually started its campaign against the Turkish-Israeli agreement through a statement by Ahmed al-Megdlani -the PLO Executive Committee member- today, which in fact ensured the previous statements released by the anonymous Fath source. Al- Megdlani said,”The authority didn’t authorize the Turkish government to negotiate with the occupation forces on our issues.” He also added that the agreement affects the Palestinian rights.
Al- Megdlani continued, “The Turkish-Israeli agreement infers strategic and economic regional arrangements in the region, one of them related to the Mediterranean’s Palestinian, Syrian and Lebanese gas fields, to create a new regional order with new alliances which will lead to new conflicts reflecting negatively on the internal Palestinian issues and the security and stability of the region.”
According to the political analyst Mostafa Sawaf, any step that will be taken by any Arab or Islamic country including Turkey- to lift Gaza siege imposed for 10 consecutive years will be faced with refusal from the Palestinian Authority and Egypt.
“Egypt and the PLO want to continue Gaza’s siege, but the latest Turkish move to send aids, improve the economic projects, solve the power and water supply problems will make both parties feel that Gaza is getting out of their control.”
The political researcher accused the Palestinian Authority of being a partner with the occupation for continuing Gaza siege under the excuse of containing Hamas movement especially that the Turkish initiative has been welcomed by many Palestinian population including those living in Gaza.
It is noteworthy that the Egyptian foreign ministry has imposed secrecy on Samek Shoukry’ ‘s sudden visit to Ramallah, but some Egyptian diplomatic sources said that Turkish-Israeli agreement and Gaza’s fate were on the visit’s top agenda.
A normalization treaty was signed between Ankara and Tel Aviv after 6 years of deterioration in their bilateral relations. In this context, Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim stated that the meeting will contribute to a great extent to lifting the siege imposed on the Palestinian people in general and Gaza Strip in particular.
