October 19–21 2007
7 Palestinians are killed as fighting between different Palestinian factions continues. 3 Hamas members and three civilians, including a 13-year old boy and a woman are killed in the fighting between Hamas and the Fatah affiliated Khiles clan. 30 Palestinians were injured Meanwhile, Hamas kidnapped Islamic Jihad members, sparking a heavy gun battle, which left 5 people injured. One Fatah militant was killed when a grenade exploded prematurely
November 15 2007
Palestinian official Yasser Abed Rabbo announced new negotiations utilizing the 2003 US ‘road map’
March 23/24, 2008
Hamas and Fatah signed an agreement in Saana, Yemen that amounted to a reconciliation deal. It called for a return of the Gaza Strip to the pre-June 2007 situation, though this has not happened.
August 16 2008
Abbas agrees to join a national committee designed to end arrests in the West Bank and Gaza strip
October 4 2008
Leaders of Fatah and Hamas say they want to form a national unity government to rebuild the security forces and prepare for elections
October 20 2008
Egypt drafts Palestinian unity proposal
November 8 2008
Hamas boycotts the Palestinian reconciliation conference which has to be held in Cairo on November 9
January 2009
Abbas' term as president ends, but he vows to stay in power until parliamentary and presidential elections can be held simultaneously as per Palestinian law. His supporters argue the presidential elections in which he was chosen were held early due to Arafat's death. Critics, not least Hamas, deny Abbas' legitimacy.
February 2009
The severing of contacts is all but complete. Egypt pushes the parties to hold reconciliation talks, the first round of which starts in February. The aim is to create a unity government that would pave the way for simultaneous presidential and parliamentary elections before the term of term of the current Hamas-dominated parliament in January 2010.
March 2009
Fayyad resigns, hoping this will add pressure to the unity talks, but the stalemate remains.
May 2009
A fifth round of talks in Cairo ends without a breakthrough. A new round is set for July.
October 2009
reconciliation talks brokered by Egypt once again stall when Hamas refuse to sign an Egyptian document after it was inked by fatah. Under the terms of that document, legislative and presidential elections were to be held in mid-2010.
May 31, 2009
Six people were killed as Palestinian Authority and Hamas forces clashed in Qalqilya
January 3 2010
Khaled Meshaal announces that reconciliation is close following a meeting with Saudi officials to discuss the Egyptian proposal.
February 2010
Representatives of all Palestinian factions met in Gaza city after Fatah leader Nabil Sha’ath visited Gaza in a bid to encourage bilateral dialogue.
March 22 2010
Representatives from Fatah and Hamas meet in Damascus. Azam Al Ahmad wanted to persuade Musa Abu Marzouq to sign the Egyptian document.
September 2010
Representatives from Fatah and Hamas meet in Damascus to help revive Egyptian efforts at reconciliation.
October 2010
Security co-operation talks cancelled after Abbas had disagreement with Syrian President Bashar Al Assad over resistance against Israel.
November 11 2010
Hamas and Fatah representatives meet in Damascus in second round of talks designed to narrow the divisions between the two parties/
February 14 2011
PA cabinet resigns. Abbas then invited PM Salam Fayad to form a new team. This followed news a couple of days earlier that there would be general elections held by September. Hamas refused to participate or recognize the outcome.
February 24 2011
Fayyad announces that he is determined to work towards ending the split between Fatah and Hamas following a meeting with Luxembourg Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Jean Assleborn. Hamas, however, said it would not join a new Fayyad government.
March 14 2011
Demonstrations start in Gaza organized by youth groups in both Gaza and West bank calling for unity between Fatah and Hamas.
March 15 2011
Both parties express their support for the demonstrations but both are affected by interruptions from politically-affiliated groups. Hamas leader Haniyeh invites Abbas to Gaza in order to continue unity discussions.
March 16 2011
Abbas announces that he is willing to travel to Gaza in order to end the split and form a new government.
March 26 2011
President Abbas meets with Hamas leaders in Ramallah for a “positive” discussion. Abbas said he would go to Gaza to make a deal, not to have a talk.
March 29 2011
Hamas officials accept President Abbas’ initiative to visit Gaza and end the division.
April 27 2011
Initial reconciliation deal signed in Cairo to form a caretaker government and to set a date for elections in the future. Egypt will call for all Palestinian factions to agree to the deal later in the week.
May 4 2011
Unity deal connecting Fatah and Hamas signed in Cairo. The plan contains ideas for a new government of technocrats, release of political prisoners, and holding popular elections.
May - June 2011
Talks scheduled to form a new system of government and have new elected officials. Discussions delayed repeatedly by both Hamas and Fatah leaders. Israel strongly opposes unity plans.
August 22 2011
As both parties fail to find common ground on political situation, unity talks are officially delayed until September.
September 15 2011
Hamas and Fatah meet in Cairo to discuss possible UN bid for Palestine. Reconciliation meeting scheduled for the following week.
September 24 - October 1 2011
Hamas denies any accord to reconcile with Fatah, Hamas leader Ismail Al-Ashkar said agreements were never made, even though officials claimed them to be existent. However, Abbas and Fatah members discussed with Hamas earlier in the week at Fatah headquarters about another possible UN bid and restarting the unity deal.
October 21 2011
Hamas leader in exile, Khaled Meshaal, calls for Abbas to meet him in Cairo. Abbas obliges and sets date to meet in Egypt to discuss reconciliation again. Abbas offers January elections.
November 24 2011
Meshaal and Abbas meet in Cairo and say they have resolved all differences concerning Palestine’s future government and unity. Another meeting set for mid December in Cairo to finalize discussions. Elections set for a date in May.
December 4 2011
Palestinians rally in the city of Ramallah as Fatah and Hamas officials meet to reaffirm their commitments to the unity deal and a singular government.
December 19 2011
Meeting in Cairo takes place between Hamas and Fatah leaders, results reported are positive. Officials say more work is needed to reach reconciliation.
February 6 2012
Doha was chosen as the next place for unity government meeting. Abbas and Meshaal agree to form unity government with Abbas named as candidate for Prime Minister. Israel tells Abbas to choose either “Hamas or peace”.
March 6 2012
Palestinian Central Elections Committee states there is no hope for national elections by May 4th or any foreseeable date in the future. Hamas has reportedly been blocking efforts for elections in Gaza.
April - May 2012
Discord between Hamas and Fatah as both sides blame the other for the lack of agreements and solidarity. Independents and population urge the two parties to converge on and implement a final unity deal.
May 30 2012
Hamas accepts election monitors in Gaza from the Palestinian Central Elections Committee.
December 13th 2012 - January 4th 2013
In December, Fateh allowed Hamas to hold a rally in the West Bank for the first time since 2007, and in January Hamas allowed Fateh to have a rally in Gaza.
January 9th 2013
Mahmoud Abbas and Khaled Meshaal recommence reconciliation efforts in Cairo, headed by then-Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi.
April 23rd 2014
Hamas and Fateh sign a renewed reconciliation agreement, where they agreed upon the formation of a new unity government within 5 weeks, and parliamentary as well as presidential elections within 6 months.
June – September 2014
Abbas swore in the new unity government of technocrats on June 2nd. The government was not able to accomplish much, and it was also facing problems due to the major attacks on Gaza in the summer of 2014 as well as increased Israeli raids in the West Bank resulting from the kidnapping and killing of 3 Israeli settlers. On September 25th, Hamas and Fateh signed another agreement in Cairo that made clear the responsibilities and goals of the new unity government.
December 2015- January 2016
Secret Qatar-brokered reconciliation talks held in Doha.
February 7th- 8th 2016
Talks recommence, and Hamas announced that both parties agreed on a practical solution which would be talked about further and then implemented in reality.
February 23rd 2016
Fateh leader Abdullah Abdullah said Hamas must be forced to cede Gaza, and Fatah leader Jibril Rajoub also said Hamas could not be allowed to control the Gaza Strip any longer. This comment was criticized by multiple factions as not aiding any of the reconciliation efforts.
May 10th 2016
Swiss Ambassador, Paul Garnier, met with Ismail Haniyeh and stated that Switzerland has the intention to broker renewed reconciliation talks between Hamas and Fateh.
Healthcare Restricted: Female Cancer Patients in Gaza
Date posted: June 07, 2023
By MIFTAH
Background:
The Israeli-imposed siege and the frequent aggressions targeting medical facilities in Gaza have debilitated the health sector and its capacity to provide proper medical services. This is exacerbated in cases of chronic diseases, which gives rise to a need to leave the Gaza Strip to receive medical treatment in the occupied West Bank, including Jerusalem, or elsewhere. However, Israel imposes a strict and discriminatory permit regime, which has a disproportionate impact on medical patients given their conditions, and it is not unusual for these permits to be significantly delayed or ultimately refused by Israel.
The Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy (MIFTAH) collected questionnaires from 102 women diagnosed with cancer in the Gaza Strip to assess the quality of the treatment, availability of equipment, accessibility, and referral process.
The full report is accessible here.
Conclusion and recommendations:
The 16-year-long Israeli-imposed blockade and closure on Gaza have had detrimental impacts on the health sector in the besieged Strip. Specifically, the siege has compromised the ability of the healthcare sector to deliver proper medical services due to the absence of crucial medication, equipment, and supplies under flimsy security pretexts. Ultimately, frequent aggressions and targeting of health facilities and the Israeli-imposed siege on Gaza compromise the availability, accessibility, and quality of healthcare services available to Palestinians in Gaza.
MIFTAH urges the international community to:
- Put an end to Israel’s impunity and hold it accountable for its persistent crimes, including the crime against humanity of apartheid, through the adoption of effective and concrete measures;
- Exert pressure to lift the blockade on the Gaza Strip and allow for the free movement of people and goods;
- Ensure the urgent implementation of UNSCR 1325 to provide immediate protection for Palestinian women and to put an end to Israel’s impunity;
- Support the UN Special Rapporteur in the oPt, the International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion, the ICC investigation and the UN Commission of Inquiry.
The summary factsheet is accessible here.
Financial indicators for the Family Protection Bill
Date posted: May 17, 2023
By MIFTAH
The legislation of the family protection bill is aimed at the protection of the family itself as an institution, and to guarantee its preservation. Palestinian legislators are aware of the importance of this bill, which is why all ministries and official institutions committed to developing its relevant programs, policies and plans, each according to their field of expertise. Their goal is to contribute to the promotion of a culture that combats domestic violence and encourages the response of public policies to this objective, through education, health, legislation and the media. Another objective is to track the bill’s impact and periodically assess it in cooperation with other civil societies. This paper focuses on some of the financial indicators pertaining to this bill.
All family members in Palestine are subjected to violence, including children, minors, women and men. However, married women remain the sector most vulnerable to domestic violence according to a 2019 Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics survey. It said 29.4% of married women had been subjected to at least one type of violence by their husbands as opposed to 13% of men who had been subjected to violence by their wives, by their own confession. A total of 44.7% of individuals who have never been married have been subjected toviolence;7.6% of the elderly and 44.2% of children(12-17yearsold) were the victims of violence at the hands of one of their parents. Although a high percentage of women have been victims of violence from their spouse, a considerable percentage of these women, around 60.3% preferred to stay silent about the assault. Only a small percentage of women asked for help through official avenues; 2.9% went to a defence lawyer to file a lawsuit against their husbands, 1.3% went to the police or a family protection unit and 1.4% went to the centres for mental, social and legal aid.
Financial indicators for the Family Protection Bill
| Article of Bill/Law by Decree | Relevant party | Estimated cost |
| Article(4) specialization of Ministry of Social Development: The Ministry, in cooperation with government and civil society organizations, provide the following services to victims of domestic violence: 1.Protection and fulfilment of needs of the victim; economically and socially empowering her and reintegrating her in society in order to preserve the family fabric, while ensuring not to equate the victim with the perpetrator. 2.Appointing protection counsellors in all directorates and qualifying them to deal with domestic violence cases 3.Providingsocial, psychological and legal experts to provide victim support 4.Ensuringthe provision of social, psychological, health and legal services to domestic violence victims in coordination with relevant parties. 5.Preparing rehabilitation programs for perpetrators of domestic violence crimes 6.Coordination and cooperation with government and civil society organizations to provide the necessary training for the enforcers of this law by decree. Preparing the necessary preventative plans and programs against domestic violence |
Ministry of Social Development | ILS12 million over 3 years on average of ILS4 million year, based on a study prepared by the Ministry of Social Development |
| Article 6: Family and Minors Protection Police: In accordance with the provisions of this bill/law by decree, a family and minor protection police will be established, with branches set up in all districts of the homeland. It’s specializations are the following: 1.Goingtothe place of the domestic violence incident when the informer states that the violence has occurred, is about to occur is ongoing; or in case of violation of a restraining order, even if the informer is not the victim 2.Providingfree 24-hourhotlinestohelp victims |
Palestinian police and Family and Minors Protection Department
Reform and Rehabilitation Centres Department |
ILS7.3 million/year (the study is based on the number of those working in the family and minors protection department and their mean salary)
ILS1.3 million/year (the study is based on the number of those working in reform and rehabilitation enters, which includes special sections for women boarders) |
| Article7: Family Protection Prosecution 1.In accordance with the provision of this bill/law by decree, a prosecution’s office will be established to follow up on domestic violence cases in all districts and will operate under the supervision of the Attorney General in accordance with penal measures in force. 2. This family protection prosecution office will promptly investigate domestic violence incidents while also preserving the privacy and dignity of the victim |
Family Protection Prosecution | ILS1.7 million, based on the number of relevant prosecution agents and their mean salaries |
| Article10: parties qualified to issue restraining orders 1.Restrainingorders will be issued by the following parties of their own accord: a. Family Protection Prosecution b. The presiding judge |
Presiding judges | ILS1.9 million, based on the number of judges and their mean salaries |
| Total expected estimated cost | ILS16.2 million |
The table above shows that the estimated and main additional cost of the Ministry of Social Development to be around ILS4 million a year, considering that the other parties (police, prosecution and courts) are currently carrying out their roles without fully allocating specialized departments for protection from violence. However, if these parties do allot specialized departments for protection from violence, overall costs will reach approximately ILS16.2 million. Nonetheless, even if this cost is incurred, it still only comprises a small part of public expenditures, approximately 0.1%. Overall public expenditures for 2022 amount to approximately ILS16.2 billion, which means the cost of passing this bill and implementing its provisions will not constitute financial burden on the general budget and will not be an obstacle to ratifying the law by decree.
Furthermore, it should be noted that while it is imperative to calculate some of the costs resulting from violence against women, the reaerate the high costs as well. The secret social costs, which impact society as a whole. Data from the Ministry of Social Development showed (see graph), that violence exercised against women has prompted around 60% of them to flee their homes. Also, 18% of them attempted suicide in addition to suffering from mental and physical illnesses, unwanted pregnancies or others. Calculating expenses incurred from violence is not an easy process and there are no national data or figures that can measure the impact violence has on the state’s general budget due to the prevalent mentality towards violence as an issue associated only with women. This is especially true when the conversation is about the indirect and intangible effects of violence, including:
Violations of human rights; negative social, economic and political impacts; working women who get sick and need to take sick leave; lack of focus and productivity; impact of violence on children and academic failure; the rise in the percentage of school dropouts among children; the rise in long-term unemployment rates; the percentage of homeless children who become a burden on society; government expenditures for medical treatment; safehouses; therapy; monitoring cases of violence against women; individual expenses for following up on legal cases and lawyer fees; loss of income because of repeated absence from work or inefficacy; social expenses resulting from the breakup of the family; expenses of training individuals on how to deal with cases of violence; expenses for issuing laws and legislation on the protection of women from violence.
Confirmation of the above is that the UN believes the economic, social and health costs of violence against women are, to a large extent, undocumented and unrecognized. However, these remain colossal, according to researchers, specialists and defenders of women’s rights.
To view the full factsheet as PDF
Israeli state-sanctioned settler terrorism: A gendered lens
Date posted: April 26, 2023
By MIFTAH
Background:
The illegal Israeli settlement project, including settler-only bypass roads, military checkpoints, and the annexation wall, continues to expand and steal more Palestinian land and resources. As of today, the number of illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, including Jerusalem, is close to 300, with around 750,000 Jewish settlers residing in them.
Israeli state-sanctioned settler terrorism against Palestinian civilians and property is prevalent and has been on the rise in recent years. Violence takes the form of psychological, physical, and verbal violence, including beating, throwing stones or sharp tools, intimidation, shooting, verbal assaults, and assaults on agricultural lands, cars, and homes. Such attacks are committed in the presence of Israeli occupation forces who often join them.
The high frequency of these forms of violence and their persistence give rise to psychological, physical, and material harm. Palestinian survivors of settler terrorism seldom press charges and file complaints against Israeli settlers given the complicity of the Israeli law enforcement system.
The Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy (MIFTAH) and the Women’s Center for Legal and Counseling (WCLAC) collected questionnaires from 229 Palestinian women covering settler violence in the occupied West Bank governorates of Al-Khalil/Hebron, Bethlehem, and Jerusalem.
MIFTAH calls on the international community to:
Put an end to Israel’s impunity and hold it accountable for its persistent crimes, including the crime against humanity of apartheid, through the adoption of effective and concrete measures;
Stop all relations and trade with illegal Israeli settlements including international companies that profit from them;
Criminalize and blacklist Israeli settler groups that engage in terrorist activities and hold those with dual citizenship accountable in their respective states;
Ensure the urgent implementation of UNSCR 1325 to provide immediate protection for Palestinian women and to put an end to Israel’s impunity;
Support the UN Special Rapporteur in the oPt, the International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion, the ICC investigation and the UN Commission of Inquiry.
