Last update - 00:00 11/09/2007
Officials: Haniyeh proposes he meet with Abbas in Mecca
By The Associated Press
The head of the Hamas government in Gaza, Ismail Haniyeh, proposed Monday that he meet with Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas in Saudi Arabia, Haniyeh's office said Monday.
Since Hamas' forcible takeover of Gaza in June, Abbas has rebuffed repeated offers by the Islamic militants to resume contacts, saying Hamas must first apologize and withdraw its forces from Palestinian security posts in Gaza.
Abbas is under strong international pressure, particularly from the U.S., not to renew talks with Hamas, which has refused to recognize Israel or accept previous peace accords.
Haniyeh, who was deposed as prime minister by Abbas in June, proposed the meeting in a phone call with Saudi Crown Prince Sultan Ibn Abdel Aziz, Haniyeh's office said.
Abbas is scheduled to visit Saudi Arabia on Tuesday. Haniyeh's office said in the statement that Hamas is ready to return to dialogue without
conditions and described factional fighting that preceded the Hamas takeover as a "disagreement among brothers".
In February, the Saudis brokered a power-sharing agreement between Hamas and Abbas in the holy city of Mecca however it disintegrated by June when and Hamas seized control of Gaza in a week of heavy fighting.
Following the takeover, Abbas fired Haniyeh and set up a new government in the West Bank. The split paved the way for a new push to revive negotiations between Abbas and Israel. Such efforts would likely be derailed if Abbas were to renew contacts with Hamas.