Call to ease Palestinian boycott

The international community should ease the boycott on the Palestinian Authority and promote peace negotiations in response to the new coalition deal signed in Mecca, according to a new report by the International Crisis Group.

The global NGO, whose senior figures include the former Tory minister and governor of Hong Kong, Lord Patten of Barnes, and the former Australian foreign minister Gareth Evans, accept that the agreement does not meet the conditions imposed by the international community and Israel.

But it says that shows how little has been secured from Hamas over the past year. Instead, it proposes that fresh demands should be made on Hamas, including the release of Gilad Shalit, the Israeli corporal seized by militants last June, a comprehensive ceasefire and acquiescence in talks between the Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, and the Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas.

The report insists that the Mecca deal is a "prerequisite" rather than an "impediment" to a peace process, and points out that there was no peace process when Fatah was in control before Hamas won the elections last January.

"Without a Hamas-Fatah power-sharing agreement," it argues, "and as long as the Islamists feel marginalised, unable to govern and in an existential struggle for survival, there can be no sustainable diplomacy."

But it says that the coalition deal reached at Mecca reflects the reality that neither Hamas nor Fatah can defeat the other and the continued strife between the factions could "spin out of control". It acknowledges: "The opportunity is fragile: the two movements will have to show far more political flexibility and humility than either has evinced to date."

Arguing that that Hamas has "the sizeable public support" needed to torpedo talks between Mr Abbas and Mr Olmert if it chooses, it adds: "If the international community is serious about its proclaimed goals, it will help bring stability to the Palestinians and broker a comprehensive Israeli-Palestinian ceasefire, permit the unity government to govern and press for meaningful negotiations between Abbas and Olmert."