Hamas and Fatah: A Detrimental Divide

The recent increase of violence in Jerusalem will have resounding impacts on the Palestinian Authority. Hamas, Fatah, and Israeli tactics are alienating all parties, making a peaceful resolution difficult. Widespread arrests of Hamas members in the West Bank by the Israeli Defense Forces have interrupted the reconciliation efforts between Hamas and Fatah, the summer 2014 Gaza War has weakened Hamas’s capacity if not its popularity, and Fatah’s inaction in response to the Gaza War and the recent increase in East Jerusalem and West Bank settlements cost them the public’s opinion. Palestinian political leadership has failed to secure Palestinian interests and security. President Mahmoud Abbas and Hamas leadership must reevaluate their strategy, invest in unification, and build the Palestinian Authority’s capacity for governance. Hamas and Fatah must recognize their limitations and join forces to develop a unified Palestinian front, whether they choose a strategy of active resistance or collaboration with Israel.The situation is deteriorating—Palestinians are using violence as an unsanctioned political tool, and the major political factions are losing control over their constituencies. Since the end of October 2014, Palestinians have carried out 5 attacks through vehicular manslaughter, stabbings, and shootings. The increasing violence raises the risk of political fallout and threatens a drastic change in the status quo. On November 18, two Palestinians wielding meat cleavers murdered four rabbis who were praying in the Har Nof synagogue. The Israeli Defense Forces shot and killed the attackers outside the synagogue. The following day, the chief inspector of the Israeli Police reported that the state would retain the bodies of the Palestinian assailants as a deterrent against further attacks, a tactic that may pave the way for a harsh Palestinian reaction. Separately, Hamas and Fatah cannot control the impending bloodshed; they must work together.Palestinians are losing confidence in their political leaders, making it impossible to maintain stability within and beyond their territories. President Abbas has dominated both the ruling Fatah party and the Palestinian Authority since the elections of 2005, which followed Yasser Arafat’s death. After four failed rounds of official peace negotiations with Israel, President Abbas has little political capital remaining. Conversely, Hamas retains significant popularity in the West Bank and remains the most influential actor in Gaza. Despite a degree of popular support, Hamas does not have the military or political capacity to engage in negotiations with Israel. Rising tensions in Jerusalem will not be easily contained: Israeli expansionism, individual acts of terrorism, and collective retaliation will not resolve themselves, and neither Hamas nor Fatah can address any of these issues alone.President Abbas and the leaders of Hamas must unify under the Palestinian Authority and expand its capacity through collaboration. The gap between Hamas and Fatah may have grown since their split in 2007, but it is not irreparable. Critically, the population expresses significant support for the unification of the two governments. Dissatisfaction in the outcomes of their respective governments has created a faction of non-affiliated political activists among Palestinians. In 2012, groups of students from Birzeit University—an institution renowned for its political activism—organized a non-affiliated protest calling for political unity among all Palestinians. This protest was powerful and widely noticed, but lost its popularity after it was co-opted by student organizations affiliated with Hamas and Fatah, further demonstrating popular support for unity.In March 2014, senior Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh and a delegation representing President Abbas signed a reconciliation agreement that stipulated formation of a unified government by the end of April accompanied by presidential and parliamentary elections to be held in September. Israel interrupted these efforts in June by arresting over 300 Hamas members in the West Bank and waging war in Gaza, in part to prevent Palestinian political unity.The delicate alliance between Hamas and Fatah has not produced results. The framework is vague and ineffective, elections have not been held or prepared for, and the commitment of each party is wavering. Hamas claims the agreement has expired, yet Fatah argues it is still in effect. This disagreement puts the alliance at risk, but it can still be saved. For example: Sami Abu Zuhri, a Hamas spokesperson who recently declared the end of the consensus government, still continues to insist on national unity and dialogue. The political will may be fading, but Palestinians continue to exert pressure on both parties to uphold the concept of unity.Hamas and Fatah leadership must reconcile their political tensions to meet the future’s demands. Resolving the tensions with Israel must be more pressing than intra-Palestinian quarrels. A successful alliance must include what Zuhri claims Hamas supports—a national public dialogue that spans the territories, political spectrum, and generations. The future of Palestinian unity and peace lies in transparent and inclusive political dialogue and processes that include both current political leaders and younger generations. Palestinian leaders must collaborate now or risk a bleak future for their people.