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Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal
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| By Ynetnews January 21, 2007 |
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Palestinian sources reported that an intended Saturday night meeting between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Hamas politiburo chief Khaled Mashaal is being postponed, pursuant to disagreements on two issues: the post of Interior Minister and Hamas' refusal to adhere to agreements previously signed by the PLO.
One senior Palestinian speaking on condition of anonymity and asking that even his faction not be named because of the sensitivity of the matter, said "there will be no meeting today."
"There are difficulties facing such a meeting and there are current mediations to try and resolve the problems," he added. He said it was possible that the meeting would be held Sunday.
Some sources said that Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Mouallem is trying to negotiate between the Abbas and Mashaal. The Palestinian president said that he did not come to negotiate, but rather to hear Hamas' stance on the two issues.
Abbas arrived in Syria Saturday at noon in order to meet with Syrian President Bashar Assad. The two leaders have not met in almost a year, mainly due to the escalating tensions between Fatah and Hamas.
Earlier, a Palestinian official told London-based Arabic-language newspaper al-Sharq al-Awsat Saturday that mediators were making intensive efforts aimed at bringing Abbas and Mashaal together for a meeting.
Saturday afternoon, a senior Hamas source said that such mediation had succeeded and that Abbas and Mashaal were set to meet Saturday evening in Damascus.
According to the al-Sharq al-Awsat report, a meeting between the two is expected to focus the establishment of a Palestinian unity government, and the letter of appointment that will be handed to the new prime minister by Abbas.
A main disagreement surrounding the letter of appointment stems from a clause in the letter stating that the new government will be committed to past agreements with Israel. As stated, this disagreement appears to have temporarily derailed the Saturday evening meeting.
Hamas has already rejected the clause, and proposed an alternative version, which has not been published yet.
Fatah Secretary-General Marwan Barghouti, serving five life sentences in Israel, said he supported such a meeting between Abbas and Mashaal. An associate speaking in his name said, "we believe such a meeting will relieve internal tension and pave the way for a unity government."
Friday, the al-Halig newspaper, published in the United Arab Emirates, reported that US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice requested that Abbas cancel his trip to Damascus.
According to the report, Rice claimed that such a visit would be detrimental, but Abbas refused to acquiesce to her request.
Jerusalem watching closely
Meanwhile, Jerusalem officials are closely following Abbas' visit in Damascus.
Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is aware that talks between Abbas and Mashaal may promote the release of captive Gilad Shalit. On the other hand, such a meeting just a day after Israel released USD 100 million to Abbas is likely to reflect badly on Israel.
"Abbas did not consult us about the meeting," a senior official at the Prime Minister's Office Said Friday. "He is a sovereign leader and he makes his own decisions."
The official added that Israel is following any developments, saying "everything depends on the outcome of this meeting. This will determine our attitude towards it."
Reprinted with permission from Ynet. |
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