Palestinian Civil Society Seeks to Bridge Political Divide

While the primary Palestinian political factions Hamas and Fatah remain divided, as does the West Bank and the Gaza strip. A network of Palestinian organizations plans to launch a grassroots campaign aimed at generating public pressure for reconciliation.

Palestinian Non-governmental Organizations Network (PNGO), which includes local human rights and other kinds of groups, announced it will launch a national campaign in the Palestinian territories after Ramadan. "The initiative is supported by about 200 influential independent personalities and nearly 280 legal and rights organizations in a bid to form a pressure group," according to one official.

The three-month campaign aims to protect freedom and restore the national unity between the two territories, according to Amjad al-Shawa, director of PNGO. The plan focuses on local media and impacting public opinion toward the goal of unity.

The initiative's backers also oppose the outcome of the split, namely Hamas and Fatah crackdowns against their political opponents, inter-factional clashes and greater restrictions on public freedom, al-Shawa said.

"The Hamas-Fatah fighting violates the Palestinian law and harms the Palestinian causes," noted al-Shawa.

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