Al-Zahar to openly discuss issues during national unity talks

Tuesday October 07, 2008 11:02 by Rami Almeghari - IMEMC & Agencies

Dr. Mahmoud aL-Zahar, a prominent Hamas leader in Gaza, denied yesterday that his party would vote "No" during the upcoming national unity talks in Cairo, stating that the party will openly discuss all issues.

Hamas prominent leader, Mahmoud Alzahar

Al-Zahar's remarks came in response to media reports that revealed that the Islamist ruling party in Gaza had set forth four main conditions for an Egyptian-mediated dialogue. This include the following demands: that security services reconstruction should be comprehensive, that there shall be no technocrat government beyond the 2006's elections results, that there shall be no end to the the parliament's legal term and that Gaza should not be dealt with seperately from the West Bank.

Al-Zahar added on his way to Cairo that the abovementioned criterions are merely his own assessment of one of the party's leaders and that, "Rather, we are going to listen."

He also denied news that his party had demanded that Fatah strongman in the West Bank and former preventive security head, Jebril Rejoub, assume the mission of reforming the Palestinian security services in both the West Bank and Gaza.

"It is impossible for a Hamas leader to demand this," Al-Zahar stressed.

Another Hamas leader in Gaza, Khalil Alhaiya, asserted yesterday that his party's delegation to Cairo will discuss all outstanding dialogue issues collectively and that Hamas is willing to show more flexibility.

Hamas' four-member delegation, headed by Al-Zahar and joined by the exiled leader Mousa Abu Marzouq, are expected to arrive in Cairo today to begin a national unity dialogue with the rival Fatah party and other Palestinian factions this month.

Both Hamas and Fatah parties have been at loggerheads since the Islamist Hamas won the 2006 parliamentary elections. Hamas and Fatah formed the first-ever national unity cabinet in February 2007, yet Hamas seized control of Gaza four months later, as fighting escalated with Fatah.

gaza strip | palestinian politics | news report rami at imemc dot org