Setback in Hamas-Fatah Thaw

The Media Line Staff

Reconciliation talks between Hamas and Fatah are back to square one and there are no new developments on this front, senior Hamas leader Mahmoud A-Zahhar said on Saturday.

A-Zahhar, who is based in Gaza, said Fatah officials in Ramallah were being blocked from making any significant reconciliation measures because of pressures from the United States and the European Union.

A-Zahhar said the West and Israel were to blame for the lack of progress on Palestinian unity. The recent donor conference in Berlin revealed an American and European veto over the dialogue process and these two parties had unreasonable demands of Hamas, A-Zahhar told the Saudi daily Al-Watan.

Hamas won the legislative elections in January 2006. The hard-line organization took over the Gaza Strip in a violent coup in June 2007, further heightening tension with the Fatah movement.

Hamas has been isolated by Western governments, which demand the organization recognizes Israel, renounces terrorism and adheres to previously signed agreements with Israel.

Hamas has so far refused to comply with these demands.

Since the takeover, there has been a de facto separation between the Gaza Strip, which is dominated by Hamas and has its own Hamas government, and the West Bank, which has a Fatah-dominated government backed and recognized by the West.

Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud 'Abbas called for renewed talks with Hamas last month.

'Abbas does not intend to meet with senior Hamas leaders during his visit to Damascus on Sunday, 'Abbas' spokesman, Nabil Abu Rudeina, said on Saturday.

The spokesman said the chairman would be discussing the Israeli-Palestinian peace track and other issues with Syrian President Bashar Al-Asad.

He said that as far as the reconciliation initiative was concerned, the ball was in Hamas' court.

"We're ready if Hamas is ready. So far we haven't received a clear 'yes' from them," he said.

Meanwhile, crossings between Israel and the Gaza Strip are reopening on Sunday morning. They were closed over the weekend after Qassam rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip onto Israeli communities.

Passage will be allowed for food products, fuel and cement. Special humanitarian cases, such as Palestinians in need of medical treatment, will be allowed into Israel.

Israel and Hamas, with Egyptian mediation, agreed on a shaky truce that came into effect on June 19. The crossings were opened, but have been closed intermittently in response to several rockets attacks on Israel.

judythpiazza@newsblaze.com

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