Rivalry Palestinian factions, Hamas and Fatah, expressed Monday optimism over possible success of a due meeting in the holy city of Makkah Tuesday.
Palestinian Prime Minister of Hamas, Ismail Haniya, said during a weekly cabinet meeting today that Hamas’s delegation to Makkah talks is willing to reach an agreement that would lead to end of violence and formation of a unity government.
“On behalf of the government, I would like to assure all brothers that there is no choice but ‘agreement’, once a determination exists and the higher interests are top priority” The Palestinian PM asserted that the latest ceasefire agreement is solid, voicing hope it remains so.
From their part, Fatah officials expressed their faction’s strong determination to make Makkah talks successful for the purpose of a national unity government.
Jebril Alrejoub, Fatah’s Revolutionary Council member, said that Fatah’s delegation to the talks is fully authorized to reach a deal with Hamas. Azzam Al-Ahmad, head of Fatah’s parliamentary bloc, who will be taking part in the talks, believed that the ‘holiness of Makkah would definitely ensure a good atmosphere for all parties to succeed, hoping that Hamas is ‘as same determined as his movement to come out with an agreement’.
Al-Ahmad emphasized the need that participants would agree to a unified platform based on the Palestine Liberation Organization’s (PLO) charter, which, according to him, could reinforce Palestinian national unity and lead to an independent Palestinian state.
King of Saudi Arabia, Abdullah Bin Andelaziz, invited last week both Fatah and Hamas for talks in the holy city of Makkah, to end almost 11-month old failed unity government talks and halt factional infighting that has so far claimed lives of some hundred Palestinians and wounded hundreds others.
Saudi Arabia is the not the only Arab country that mediates between the two sides, as Egypt, Qattar and Damascus have done so, yet infighting continues to break out frequently and a deal has not been concluded.
Fatah and Hamas differences are concentrated on each party’s platform; Hamas rejects peace agreements, PLO has signed with Israel, including recognition of Israel, while Fatah believes that commitment by Hamas to such accords would end the internationally-imposed economic embargo since last March.
