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Hamas Refuses Abbas’ Condition for Acknowledging Int’l Resolutions

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. (Reuters)
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. (Reuters)
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Hamas Refuses Abbas’ Condition for Acknowledging Int’l Resolutions

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. (Reuters)
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. (Reuters)

Hamas has rejected conditions presented by Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas for achieving national unity and forming a consensus government. The Gaza ruling group claimed that complying with Abbas’ terms meant surrendering to Israeli conditions.

“The requirements of President Abbas to form a government and achieve national unity are dependent on Zionist conditions and contradict the state of the Palestinian national consensus,” said Hamas Spokesperson Abdul-Latif Al-Qanou.

“Any national dialogue should be based on Cairo understandings,” affirmed Al-Qanou.

Al-Qanou accused the PA President of having opposing positions to national consensus, violating signed agreements and practicing tyranny.

Meanwhile, the spokesperson defended Hamas by saying it had made concessions at every stage in the hopes of achieving national consensus.

Abbas has requested that Hamas to recognize international resolutions before engaging in dialogue over national unity.

Responding to a letter passed to him by prominent Palestinian businessman Munib Al-Masri, who met with the Hamas leadership in Gaza and abroad, Abbas wrote: “Hamas has to recognize the international resolutions in order to be a partner.”

Al-Masri described his meetings with Hamas officials as “positive” and reiterated the movement’s intention to end the internal Palestinian division and reach national reconciliation.

Abbas stressed that “there would be no dialogue with them (Hamas)” unless he is sent a letter by Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh that is personally signed by him.

Reconciliation talks between Abbas’ Fatah, the second-largest party in the Palestinian Legislative Council, and Hamas are at a standstill.

The last serious attempt to reboot talks took place last June when Egypt engaged in a one-on-one dialogue with the two parties before launching an inclusive national dialogue that was canceled at the last minute due to the differences between Fatah and Hamas.

The two sides differed over the elections, which were ultimately cancelled, the government, the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), and reconstruction of Gaza.

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Arab World

Lebanon’s War Losses Double Compared to 2006

Rescuers and aid workers search for survivors at the site of an Israeli airstrike in eastern Lebanon (AFP)
Rescuers and aid workers search for survivors at the site of an Israeli airstrike in eastern Lebanon (AFP)
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Lebanon’s War Losses Double Compared to 2006

Rescuers and aid workers search for survivors at the site of an Israeli airstrike in eastern Lebanon (AFP)
Rescuers and aid workers search for survivors at the site of an Israeli airstrike in eastern Lebanon (AFP)

A comparison of the current human and material losses from the ongoing Hezbollah-Israel conflict with those from the July 2006 war shows that current losses have doubled.

Experts warn that the reconstruction funds and aid pledged to Lebanon 18 years ago may have limited impact once the war ends.

Total Losses

Mohammad Shamseddine, a researcher from Information International, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the death toll has risen from 900 in 2006 to 2,865 in the current conflict (as of October 31, 2024), with the number increasing daily. The number of wounded was 4,000 in 2006, but it has now exceeded 13,047.

In 2006, 600,000 people were displaced, while today that number has surpassed 1.2 million. Of these, 189,174 are in shelters. A total of 358,133 Syrians and 172,604 Lebanese have fled to Syria, and 120,000 have sought refuge in other countries.

Lebanese Economy and Trade Minister Amin Salam estimated that Lebanon’s total economic losses from the current conflict have reached $20 billion. However, economic associations report direct losses between $10 billion and $12 billion, covering damage to key sectors, homes, buildings, and infrastructure.

These figures align with estimates from Shamseddine, who believes direct and indirect losses are around $10 billion.

Of this, $4 billion occurred from October 8, 2023, to September 17, 2024 (when the conflict was mostly limited to the south), and $7 billion from September 17 to October 31, 2024, after Israel expanded the war. For comparison, losses during the 2006 war totaled $5.3 billion.

In 2006, infrastructure damage was valued at $900 million, higher than the current war's $570 million in infrastructure losses.

Housing losses in 2006 totaled $2.2 billion, while they have now surpassed $4.26 billion. Mohammad Shamseddine points out that commercial losses were similar in both conflicts, at $4.7 million.

Agricultural and environmental losses in 2006 were $450 million, but now exceed $900 million. Indirect economic damages were $1.2 billion in 2006, while they have now surpassed $3.38 billion.

One notable difference is the number of airstrikes: from October 8, 2023, to October 31, 2024, there were 11,647, compared to just 3,670 during the 33-day 2006 war.