Jimmy Carter Trying to Strong-Arm PA and Hamas into Reconciling

Former US President Jimmy Carter is reportedly pushing for the Palestinian Authority (PA) and Hamas to reconcile, against the wishes of both organizations.

According to AI Monitor, two weeks ago Carter visited PA President Mahmoud Abbas in Ramallah; during their talks, Carter encouraged Abbas to return to the Beach Refugee Camp Agreement from last year, in which the PA and Hamas agreed to combine into one unified government.

He was unable to visit Gaza due to security restrictions, but managed to communicate a similar message to Hamas leaders.

Both Hamas and the PA representatives said that they were uninterested in Carter's plan.

Abbas's political adviser, Nimer Hammad, said that the PA is uninterested in a deal unless Hamas agreed to give up its control of Gaza. Abbas reportedly requested that Carter "persuade Hamas to hold presidential and legislative elections under international supervision and guarantees, and that [Carter] should get a written consent from the movement."

Ziad al-Zaza, the deputy prime minister of Hamas, told Carter that the PA is to blame for the lack of elections. "The [PA] government should also create an adequate atmosphere for the elections by releasing detainees and [respecting] freedoms, and Abbas is preventing this through the security services,” he said.

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