Subscribe to Print Edition | Fri., November 07, 2008 Cheshvan 9, 5769 | | Israel Time: 11:43 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
  Back to Homepage
Haaretz Toolbar
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Car Rental Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate U.S. election Travel Week's End Anglo File
Last update - 05:11 07/11/2008
Hamas likely to boycott Egypt bid to reconcile Palestinian factions
By Reuters
Tags: Palestinian, israel news 

The Islamist group Hamas is unlikely to take part in an Egyptian-sponsored Palestinian reconciliation conference on Sunday, a top Hamas official said.

Palestinian sources said Hamas could announce a boycott of the Cairo conference, intended to end its factional conflict with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah group, as early as Friday because Egypt had refused to put more Hamas proposals on the agenda.

"The atmosphere is not promising and all the signs are not encouraging for Hamas to participate," Hamas politburo member Izzat al-Rishq told Reuters after a meeting with allied groups in the Syrian capital on Thursday.
Advertisement
Egypt has invited Hamas and Fatah to the meeting, along with smaller Palestinian factions, to try to heal a rivalry that burst into open conflict after Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip last year and Abbas embarked on peace talks with Israel.

"We are still making contacts and leaving a chance for our demands to be met. Egypt must put pressure on Abbas to provide the conditions to make the dialogue a success," Rishq said in Damascus, where he and other Hamas leaders live in exile.

Leaders from Hamas, Islamic Jihad, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command and al-Saeqa - groups opposed to Abbas - met in Damascus on Thursday to discuss participation in the meeting, Rishq said.

Hamas wants the conference agenda to leave out issues such as extending Abbas' presidential term, which expires in January, unless this is part of a comprehensive settlement, and giving him a new mandate to negotiate with Israel.

Rishq repeated Hamas' position that it would boycott the conference unless Abbas released around 400 Hamas members and sympathizers from West Bank jails run by Fatah.

With Israeli and Western support, Abbas' forces have been cracking down on Hamas members in the West Bank in a campaign he describes as aiming to restore law and order.

"These 400 prisoners are living a human tragedy equaling the brutality of Israeli occupation forces. The Cairo dialogue is dancing in the wind. It risks failure if the arrests continue," Rishq said.

Fatah said Hamas forces had arrested dozens of its supporters in the Gaza Strip on Thursday in what it described as an attempt to sabotage the Egyptian reconciliation effort.

Nine of the detainees, including a senior Fatah lawmaker, were released but about 40 remained in custody, Fatah sources said.

Previous Arab efforts to end the schism between Hamas and Fatah have met with failure, leading to more bloodshed.

The two rivals disagree on how to approach talks with Israel and how to resolve the dispute that led to Hamas taking control of the tiny but densely populated Gaza Strip.

Hamas routed Fatah forces from Gaza in June 2007. In response, Abbas dismissed the Hamas-led Palestinian government and appointed a new administration backed by the West in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, where Fatah holds sway.

Related articles:
  • Fatah: Hamas arrests dozens of our activists in Gaza ahead of Egypt reconciliation meet
  • Hamas gives nod to Egyptian proposal for Palestinian reconciliation
  • Fatah welcomes Hamas assent of Egypt's reconciliation plan
    • Bookmark to del.icio.us  
     
    Never walk alone
    It's safe to assume that Obama won't abandon Israel.
    Apprehensive in Israel
    Rightist MK Aryeh Eldad warns 'Israel should be wary of Barack Obama'
      1.   hopfully Hamas boycot the talks & they keep fighting each other 08:02  |  zionist forever 07/11/08
      2.   Are there differences between Fatah and Hamas? 08:48  |  Jean Van Daem 07/11/08
     Read & React
    Iran's Ahmadinejad offers congratulations to Obama
    Responses: 100
    IDF troops film themselves humiliating bound Palestinian
    Responses: 57
    Israel and PA to continue talks with Obama's help
    Responses: 11
    Vatican: Jewish charges against Nazi-era pope 'outrageous'
    Responses: 34
    Jonathan Spyer: Israel has chronic myopia when it comes to Syria
    Responses: 4


    More Headlines
    11:36 'Syria will restrain Hezbollah and Hamas if Obama shifts U.S. policy'
    09:11 Israel and PA to continue talks with Obama's help
    05:53 ANALYSIS / Obama will star in Israel's election campaigns
    09:11 Five Qassams strike Negev on third day of renewed hostilities
    10:30 Police question Olmert for ninth time in corruption probe
    01:18 IDF troops film themselves humiliating bound Palestinian
    10:48 Historic moment in N.Y. as first woman named to lead Rabbinical Assembly
    11:00 Fugee Fridays / Mayoral candidate Dov Khenin on the Tel Aviv refugee situation
    22:36 ADL blasts Greek paper for branding Obama win `end of Jewish domination`
    22:39 Iran's Ahmadinejad offers congratulations to Obama
    01:12 U.S. Jews laud Obama pick of Rahm Emanuel for chief of staff
    06:07 IDF asks police, Shin Bet for info on left-wing figures active in W. Bank
    23:05 IDF concludes large drill simulating double-front war in North
    19:27 Palestinians boycott 'useless' Jerusalem mayoral election
    Previous Editions
    Special Offers
    Advertisement
    Living in Israel Studying in English
    Click & Meet our students from all around the world
    Dan Boutique Jerusalem
    New Dan Hotel in Jerusalem Young, Fun & Distinctively Dan Book Now Online!
    Fattal Hotel Chain
    Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel.
    Car rental in Israel
    Shlomo Sixt Receive $15.00 from our low rates.
    Dial 013 for your long-distance calls
    and get all your money back
    US CITIZENS
    Vote for real change. Request your ballot today!
    Eldan Rent a Car
    Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations
    Jewish Singles Personal Ads
    Find the love of your life on JDate.com
    Israel's Premier Real Estate Website
    www. israel-property.com
    Hebrew Summer courses
    From $39.95
    Junkyard
    Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt
    Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |
    Real Estate in Israel | Travel to Israel with Haaretz | Hotels Israel | Restaurants Israel | Tourist attractions Israel | Shops Israel
    birthright Israel | Search engine marketing
    Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.
    © Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved