'Hamas cancels unity meeting with Fatah'
By JPOST.COM STAFF
LAST UPDATED: 08/22/2010 15:45
Report: Decision due to announcement of direct peace talks.
A member of the Hamas-affiliated Popular Resistanc Photo: AP
Hamas postponed a meeting with Fatah indefinitely on Sunday, due to the Palestinian Authority’s decision to enter direct talks with Israel, the Ma’an News Agency reported.
The meeting, which was supposed to take place on Saturday night, had been scheduled in order to address the obstacles to unity between the two groups.
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Hamas
originally gave no reason for canceling the meeting, which was
initiated by Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, according to Ma’an.
Senior Fatah official Salah Abu Khatla told Ma’an that the Fatah
delegation was supposed to include senior members Sakher Bseiso and
Zakaria al-Agha.
Fatah officials were in the Gaza Strip to attend the funeral of a former PA intelligence official.
With the exception of the PLO Executive Committee, an unelected body
dominated by Abbas loyalists, Palestinians across the political spectrum
were united over the weekend in denouncing the PA’s “capitulation.”
Several Palestinian factions accused the PA leadership of abandoning its
conditions and succumbing to outside pressure.
The groups also warned that Abbas does not have a mandate to negotiate
on behalf of the Palestinians since his term in office had expired in
January.
Khaled Abu Toameh contributed to this report.