Fateh and Hamas Form Field Committee

Friday February 05, 2010 19:55 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

The rival Fateh and Hamas movements managed to form a committee that would be in charge of discussing field issues that are preventing reconciliation. The committee was formed after Fateh official Nabil Shaath met on Thursday with Ismail Haniyya of Hamas and several Hamas leaders in Gaza.

The meeting is the first of its kind conducted by a Fateh official to the Gaza Strip since June of 2007.

Hamas legislator, Salah Bardaweel, stated that the meeting was constructive and positive, and that it came to revive political talks between the two movements.

He added that the talks focused on reconciliation, the Egyptian document for national unity and the efforts to restore trust between the two movements.
Bardaweel further stated that the two sides agreed on the necessity of achieving reconciliation under Egyptian guarantees.

Ismail Radwan of Hamas stated that the coming days will witness real measures on the ground.

Shaath started his political talks with a meeting with Ismail Haniyya at his home in Al Shaty’s refugee camp in Gaza City.

He said that this meeting is very important as it was held at the residence of Haniyya, an issue that was perceived as a “warm attitude between Fateh and Hamas leaders”.

Shaath also met with Saleh Zeidan, member of the Political Bureau of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP), and several DFLP political leaders.

The talks were focused on the efforts to restore the Palestinian unity and achieving national reconciliation.

He further held a meeting of independent legislator, Jamal El Khodary, head of the Popular Committee Against the Siege, and held talks with him on a number of issues such as electricity crises, the ongoing siege and national unity.

On Tuesday evening, Shaath met with several Hamas leaders and legislators, and a number of Fateh leaders.

gaza strip | palestinian politics | news report saed at imemc dot org