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| By: Israel Insider staff and partners |
| Published: August 5, 2007 |
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Now that Hamas' violent takeover of the Gaza Strip last month has successfully served to kick-start the long-stalled land-for-peace process, with fresh efforts underway to create a Palestinian state, reports are saying that Fatah and Hamas are talking about re-establishing their unity government.
After Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah forces were driven out of Gaza, the Olmert government and Bush administration began implementing ways to bolster Abbas, including: the release by Israel of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners, the release of tens of millions of dollars in confiscated tax funds, the distribution to PA forces of thousands of rifles and hundreds of thousands of bullets, discussion over the removal of security checkpoints in the West Bank and the granting of permission for some Palestinians in Iraq to be returned to Samaria and Judea.
With the diplomatic wheels turning on the realization of a Palestinian state, Hamas and Fatah are now reportedly talking about reestablishing the Palestinian Authority unity government, with senior security officials on both sides having held meetings in the past few days.
"The Palestinian Ma'an news agency had reported earlier Friday that the organizations were holding secret talks aimed at solving internal Palestinian instability. According to the news agency, the aim of the negotiations was to reestablish the Palestinian Authority unity government that crumbled several weeks ago," reported the Jerusalem Post.
A Fatah spokesman later denied these reports, saying Abbas had decided that he alone should hold any such talks with Hamas.
Stan Goodenough of the Jerusalem Newswire contributed to this report. |
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