The King Faisal Center for Research and Islamic Studies organized a panel discussion entitled: "Palestinian Reconciliation: Progressive Progress, Next Steps and Challenges" on Thursday, February 1st, 2018, moderated by Francis Ward of the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, in the presence of the Secretary-General, Dr. Saud Alsarhan, and a number of diplomats and politicians.

He stressed that Palestinian reconciliation is crucial to political and economic development, to a solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and to the basis of any political progress, such as elections, ending divisions and building a national government.

Ward pointed out that there are four reasons that might contribute to the success of the Cairo Agreement between Fatah and Hamas, which was signed on October 12: the actual transformation of Hamas, the change in the position of President Abbas, the active Egyptian mediation, adding that there are some challenges that have slowed the implementation of the agreement, including the lack of improvement in the situation in Gaza, and the absence of change in the management of the border and the Rafah crossing, and the discussion around the Qassam Brigades.

"There are fundamental challenges facing Palestinian reconciliation at the political level, including the weakness of the national government and the constraints imposed by the principles of the Quartet, their inconsistency and their persistence," said Ward.

The panel discussed a number of comments by the participants on the Palestinian reconciliation and the challenges it faces, and the most important proposals for building the national state and ending the division.