Cairo 4 May 2011   The Arab Organization for Human Rights (AOHR) congratulates the Palestinian people on the national reconciliation agreement, which was signed with the participation of the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, the chairman of the Hamas political Bureau, Khalid Mesh'al, and the Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr.
Nabil Al Arabi.
   The AOHR expresses its trust in the firm will of the Palestinian parties and people to protect this important step to confront external threats, especially by the Israeli government.
The Israeli government has stopped the transfer of taxes to the Palestinian side in order to foil the reconciliation.
The AOHR appreciates the role of the Egyptian government in achieving this step and the previous and prospected steps to support the reconciliation.
This is confirmed by the position of Dr.
Nabil Al Arabi to correct the Egyptian political line towards the Palestinian central cause, on top of which the opening of the Rafah crossing, the call to hold an international conference to discuss the Palestinian Question, and the cooperation with Qatar for rehabilitation of the Gaza Strip.
  The AOHR kept its insistence on achieving Palestinian reconciliation since the beginning of the Palestinian internal split but all the efforts were hindered under international pressure and biased politics.
After the Egyptian revolution, the AOHR increased its efforts with the Egyptian Higher Council of Armed Forces and the Egyptian government to take effective steps to achieve Palestinian reconciliation.
  The AOHR believes that this step is beyond lightening the suffering of the Palestinian people.
It is a step towards directing the Palestinian cause to the right direction.
***** For more information please contact: Alaa Shalaby Executive Director – Member, Board of Trustees Arab Organization for Human Rights (AOHR) 91 Merghani St.
, Heliopolis, Cairo 11341 Egypt Tel +202 24181396 Fax +202 24185346 Mobile +2 010 6488987 Ala.
shalaby@hotmail.
com – Aladinchalabi@yahoo.
com www.
aohr.
net