Detained Hamas Leader Calls For Suspending Talks With Fateh

Sunday May 22, 2011 15:08 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

Rafat Nassif, a detained political leader of the Hamas movement, called for suspending all talks and coordination with the Fateh movement for what he called “the ongoing political arrests and interrogation” of Hamas members, conducted by members of the security forces of Fateh movement in the West Bank.

Rafat Nassif of Hamas

The statements of Nassif came from his prison cell at a local Palestinian prison. He said that the ongoing arrests and interrogation of Hamas members and supporters contradict the “good spirits that were achieved by signing the national unity agreement between Fateh and Hamas”.

Nassif added that the arrests indicate that leaders of the Fateh-led security forces lack the real will and intention to maintain unity.

The rival Hamas and Fateh movements, along with the rest of the Palestinian factions signed the unity deal on Wednesday April 27, in Cairo.

The deal calls for forming a government run by individual figures and tasked with preparing for Legislative and Presidential elections that would be held in less than a year.

It also calls for the halting all political arrests, the release of all political prisoners and for halting all smear media campaigns.

west bank | palestinian politics | news report