Hamas cancels Fatah meeting over direct talks
Published today 09:20 GAZA CITY (Ma'an) — Hamas indefinitely postponed a meeting Saturday with Fatah officials in Gaza City to discuss a unity deal over the PLO's decision to reenter direct negotiations with Israel.

Senior Hamas official Salah Bardawil said the PLO's decision has "made it too difficult" for his movement to meet with Fatah officials.

The meeting was scheduled for Saturday evening and was to address the ratification of a unity deal between the two rival movements, which has stalled local and general elections.

On Saturday evening, the meeting was declared postponed with no initial reason given. The meeting, initiated by invitation from Gaza Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh to Fatah officials in the Strip paying condolences at the funeral of a former Palestinian Authority intelligence official, was set to discuss the obstacles to unity between parties.

Senior Fatah official Salah Abu Khatla told Ma'an earlier in the evening that the Fatah delegation was set to include Central Committee members Sakher Bseiso and Zakaria Al-Agha.

Egypt began mediating a reconciliation deal between the rival parties shortly after Hamas took over Gaza in 2007. The Islamist movement says it will not ratify the deal until its amendments, which include the restructuring of the PLO, are taken into account.

Fatah has accused Hamas of stalling a potential deal to avoid elections, which the Palestinian Authority postponed in January and June, citing unity before elections. The PA has enlisted a group of independent politicians to mediate between the two rival governments, while Hamas has called for direct dialogue with Fatah.

Hamas was not the only Palestinian faction to voice condemnation of the PLO's decision on Friday to accept a US invitation to begin direct peace talks on 2 September. Several PLO and Palestinian factions have voiced opposition to the move with many expecting a statement from the Quartet to lay the foundations of peace talks.

But the document — released in parallel and in support of a US invitation to direct talks — was not accepted by the US as a basis for negotiations. US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton further said no preconditions to talks would be applied.

Direct talks with Israel were broken off in December 2008 as Israel launched Operation Cast Lead against Gaza.

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