CAIRO: Rival Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas resumed reconciliation talks in Cairo yesterday aimed at agreeing a government of national unity acceptable to the international community.
The Egyptian-mediated talks between the Islamist Hamas and the Western-backed Fatah of Palestinian Authority President Mahmud Abbas were adjourned on March 19 after failing to agree on a new government. The two factions met in the presence of Egypt’s intelligence chief and point man for Israeli-Palestinian affairs Omar Suleiman, Egypt’s official MENA news agency reported.
MENA quoted an unidentified senior Egyptian official calling on Fatah and Hamas to “face their responsibilities and rise above partisan (quarrels) and the fight for power.” “Egypt will invite the rest of the (Palestinian) factions if there is a breakthrough in the discussions,” the official said.
Senior Fatah official Nabil Shaath said remaining differences concern the makeup and program of the government, the system by which elections will be held next year and the future makeup of Palestinian security forces.
Fatah has been pushing for the formation of a government that would be accepted by the international community, which has boycotted previous unity governments that included Hamas. The Hamas team, including representatives from the Gaza Strip as well as in exile in Damascus, is headed by the movement’s deputy leader Moussa Abu Marzouk. The Fatah delegation is headed by Ahmed Qorei.
