Palestinian unity talks to resume in Cairo

Representatives of rival parties to meet in Egypt later this month; Fatah insistence on Fayyad as PA prime minister remains main obstacle.

By KHALED ABU TOAMEH
Haniyeh and Abbas waving 521 (photo credit: REUTERS)
Haniyeh and Abbas waving 521
(photo credit: REUTERS)
Hamas and Fatah have decided to resume their efforts to reach agreement over the implementation of their Egyptian-brokered reconciliation accord.
Representatives of the rival parties are scheduled to meet in Cairo later this month in yet another attempt to resolve the dispute over who would head a unity government.
RELATED:'Abbas's insistence on Fayyad derailing Palestinian unity' Palestinian unity deal on hold, Hamas official says
Fatah’s insistence on the appointment of current Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad remains the main obstacle to the establishment of the proposed unity government.
Hamas has made it clear that it would not accept Fayyad under any circumstances, because of his alleged responsibility for the PA security forces’ crackdown on Hamas supporters in the West Bank.
The decision to resume the efforts to implement the reconciliation accord was taken following a phone conversation between Fatah’s Azzam al-Ahmed and Musa Abu Marzouk, deputy head of the Hamas political bureau in Syria.