Surprised, many observers in Europe rub their eyes, looking for explanations. Many questions are left unanswered about the political upheaval in the region. But what seems beyond dispute, however, is that is that the old story is no longer being put to one side. After all, history is made by people.
How the 4th May, the day on which in Cairo the reconciliation agreement was signed by the two political wings of the Palestinian movement, Fatah and Hamas, is classified in this process has been difficult to assess up until now. Undeniably, the signing of the agreement marks an important moment in the development of the region, which can hardly be overstated. The reconciliation talks were still hopelessly deadlocked in January and all the questions regarding a possible "compensation" between the warring sides remained unanswered. They negotiated, but due to their mutual obsessions the basic tenor was always 'we'll show them'. "If the thirsty will not drink, then they only have themselves to blame ..." was, in this context, the metaphor that was always used during the negotiations. The Egyptians were initially "mediators" with very little interest in changing this situation and had their own agenda and demands, but stopped the talks on the home stretch when all parties were nearing agreement.
The specific details of the Cairo agreement are not known yet. This leaves open the question of how hard the parties involved are working to implement the agreement. The agreement has the potential to change the situation in the Middle East, but all the more so if all parties are capable of understanding it as an opportunity and dealing with it as cautiously as possible. The concrete potential derives from two fundamental changes that force the opponents to be guided by the changing realities and, as a result, to behave in a politically much more flexible way.
First, as a result of the political changes in Egypt and the recent developments in Syria, both Fatah and Hamas are losing their patrons. While the regime in Syria is becoming increasingly isolated in the world, Egypt has already started to redefine its role in the Middle East conflict. On the other hand, for some time there has been a clear demand from the heart of Palestinian society to no longer play "hostage" to the political extremes which are only defending their own interests. The demand for an end to the cleavage can thus be understood as a demand to return to the normal mechanisms of checking and granting democratic legitimacy. Legitimacy for the daily life of society, including for the simplest aspects such as the right to work, the right to 'bread', women's rights and the right for every family to live their lives together, and therefore to have a minimum perspective on life. Legitimacy for the participation of the Palestinian people in the political process, both in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, where the power systems of Fatah and Hamas are conducted in an increasingly authoritarian and self-sufficient way. The legitimacy also for the question of finding a way out of the occupation and for the long-awaited statehood.
There seem to be no solutions to these problems without overcoming the deep divisions within Palestinian society. The Cairo Agreement may be the starting point for this but alone will not be enough. All those powers responsible in the region, including Israel and the Quartet, should respect
this desire for democratic legitimacy by the Palestinian people and take an active part to ensure the future prospects of the two-state solution between Palestine and Israel and a peaceful development in the region which may arise from this reconciliation process.
Helmut Scholz MEP, Die Linke Member of the European Parliament (GUE group) for Germany, representing Brandenburg.