The former ruling Fatah party declared that it had agreed to
unconditionally join the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) in a National Unity
Government.
Palestinian sources said that Hamas has demanded the release
of all Palestinian Prisoners from Israeli jails in order to form a National Unity
Government.
Dr. Nabil Sha'ath, a senior Fatah leader and Parliament Member
said following the meeting of the Central Committee of Fatah in Jordan,
that Hamas should not set conditions that we can not implement.
"Hamas should not put the fate of forming a Nation Unity
Government in the hands of Israel by setting conditions that Israel has the
choice of fulfilling or not," Sha'ath said.
However, the Palestinian Prime Minister Ismael Haniya said
neither Hamas nor Fatah have set preconditions for forming a National Unity
Government, yet he said there are restraints to ensure the success of such a
government.
Haniya told reporters in a press conference following the
Friday prayers in Gaza,
"Negotiations are ongoing, and while everybody insists on the formation of
such a government, regardless of the abductions and arrests of ministers and
Palestinian Legislative Council members, we are only discussing the foundations
and restraints that will guarantee the success of that government".
Fatah lost to Hamas the latest parliamentary elections held
in last January. Hamas formed a
government alone after all Palestinian factions refused to join because of Hamas'
attitude towards to the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO).
Hamas marginalized the role of the PLO in the Palestinian
political life at a time all the other factions want to boost the role of the
organization which has been for decades recognized at the sole legitimate representative
of the Palestinian People in Palestine
and Diaspora.
