Palestinian sources reported that talks between Fateh and Hamas on
National Unity Government will be resumed today (Thursday) after the
talks were stopped for two days. President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime
Minister Ismail Haniyya will participate in the talks.
Abbas arrived in Ramallah on Wednesday at night after a diplomatic tour in Amman and Cairo.
The talks will focus on the distribution of ministerial posts after the factions arrived to an agreement on the number of posts for each faction and the number of posts for independent figures.
Senior Palestinian sources reported that Hamas that won 74 parliamentarian seats out of 132 will have nine ministerial posts out of 24 in addition to the Prime Minister's post.
Fateh movement, that won 46 parliamentarian seats, will have six ministerial posts.
Independent Palestine Block, Third Way Block and Al Badel Block will each have two seats, the PFLP will have three, five other seats will be given to independent figures chosen by both Hamas and Fateh.
Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi, Secretary General of the Palestinian National Initiative (Mobadara), who mediated between Fateh and Hamas, said that the government will not have a limited authority, and that it will be officially declared within the coming days.
“This government will be the government of all people”, Dr. Barghouthi added, “It will not be factional, and its political frame has been determined”.
Senior P.A sources reported that by weekend, Prime Minister Ismail Haniyya may announce his resignation, and Abbas would announce the formation of a new Palestinian Cabinet led by Mohammad Shbeir, a candidate accepted by both Hamas and Fateh factions.
On Wednesday, Abbas called on Israel to resume negotiations towards a final peace settlement and said that Israel must withdraw from the occupied West Bank, Gaza Strip and the East of Jerusalem.
Abbas added in a prerecorded speech broadcast on the Palestinian Television that Israeli should not waste the chance of peace.
“The solution depends on Israel, it must recognize our national rights, withdraw from our lands, including Jerusalem”, Abbas stated, “It must implement the international resolutions, recognize the Right of Return of the Palestinian refugees”.
On Wednesday, Arab leaders and U.S, E.U and UN top diplomats held talks in Cairo in an attempt to revive the peace process.
Egyptian President, Husny Mubarak, and Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, also held talks on Wednesday on the formation of the Palestinian National Unity Government.
Mubarak urged the Palestinians to speak in one voice and express positions that would advance the peace process to end the suffering of the Palestinian People.
On Tuesday Abbas met with King Abdullah of Jordan, and David Welch, the American envoy, Assistant Secretary of State.
Also on Tuesday, representatives of the Quartet Commitee – the U.S., European Union, Russia and United Nations – met in Cairo to discuss the revival of the peace process.
In an interview with the Israeli online daily, Haaretz, Alvaro De Soto, the United Nations Envoy to the Middle East, said that the Quartet supports the establishment of a Palestinian National Unity Government if it reflects the Quartet principles of recognizing Israel, the previously signed agreements and if it renounces violence.
