The Egyptian announcement of April 27 that Fatah and Hamas reached an agreement on reconciliation took many people by surprise, including Fatah leader Mahmoud Abbas, who himself did not believe that Hamas would accept the Egyptian reconciliation offer. Israel and the United States, who have factored the rift between Fatah and Hamas as a central element in their policies, were likewise surprised. Against this background, several major questions about the reconciliation agreement emerge. What moved the parties to change their positions and reach an accord?
Have they really succeeded in bridging the main gaps in their positions, or have they only postponed discussion of the gaps and disagreements? What will the ramifications of this step be for the policy of other actors, especially Israel and the United States? This article attempts to answer these questions, even though the details of the agreement have not yet been published.
