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Last update - 15:02 17/06/2008 Fatah delegation visits Gaza for first time since Hamas takeover By Reuters Tags: Gaza, Mahmoud Abbas, Fatah  Envoys from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah faction visited the Gaza Strip on Tuesday to brief members there on his bid for reconciliation with the territory's Hamas rulers, officials said. It was the first Fatah mission to Gaza since Hamas took over a year ago, triggering a schism with the Western-backed, secular Abbas. Delegation leader Hikmat Zeid said he had no objection to meeting Hamas representatives "if they ask for a meeting." A Hamas official was also non-committal. Advertisement "If they want to meet then we will meet them, in accordance with their request," he told Reuters. Zeid said the delegation would brief Gazan Fatah members and other allied factions within the Palestine Liberation Organization about recent efforts by Abbas, who now holds sway only in the West Bank, to patch up ties with Hamas. "We should focus our efforts on implementing the initiative in order to reach out for national unity to confront the dangers threatening the Palestinian cause," Hikmat told reporters, referring to a Hamas-Fatah mediation drive by Yemeni President Ali Abdallah Saleh that has been stalled for months. Following a reconciliation call by Abbas this month, officials from the two factions met in Senegal. Those talks restored "an atmosphere of trust and mutual respect," a joint Hamas-Fatah statement said. Zeid said Arab brokers were trying to organize a meeting of all Palestinian factions in Cairo by the end of the month. Fatah delegate Marwan Abdel-Hamid said his faction preferred to meet Hamas along with other groups and not "bilaterally". Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh said last week voiced a preference for direct talks with Fatah. Hamas ended more than 40 years of Fatah's unchallenged leadership of the Palestinian people with a victory in a parliamentary election in 2006. Hamas fighters went on to rout Fatah forces and take over the Gaza Strip in June 2007. A year on, Palestinians in Gaza languish under an Israeli-led blockade and remain deeply divided over the Islamists' contribution to their lives. Related articles: Hamas official: Gaza truce could start on Thursday ADL, Venezuelan Jewish groups demand probe into police raid on center Chavez apologizes to Merkel after labeling her 'descendant of Hitler' Bookmark to del.icio.us   Wimbledon shocker Shahar Peer knocks out 9th-seed Safina to slide into the fourth round. Time to hit Iran Israel must destroy Iran's nuclear program within one year or risk being attacked.   1.   No difference between Hamas and Fatah. 15:30  |  Jean Van Daem 17/06/08   2.   not one arab can be trusted 01:39  |  real vision 30/06/08

Read & React German prof.: Israeli athletes willfully sacrificed themselves in Munich massacre Responses: 152 Cabinet approves Hezbollah prisoner exchange Responses: 192 Harel and Issacharoff: Five myths about prisoner swaps Responses: 47 Former Israeli spymaster: Israel has one year to bomb Iran Responses: 139 Rosner's Domain When Sheldon Adelson met Bush (WTR) Poll: Hezbollah swap - good or bad? Can Israel legally strike Iran with nukes? Is Time's Joe Klein being honest when he criticizes Joe Lieberman? "The war in Iraq was inevitable" (WTR) More Headlines 02:01 Sources: Hezbollah swap likely by Lebanon war anniversary 00:19 Captive soldier's mother: I won't feel at ease until I hold my son 01:22 Bar-On: If we cede Kuntar, Barghouti will be next 19:55 Hezbollah: Approval of swap deal shows our word is supreme 20:37 What does it mean? An outline of the prisoner exchange deal 00:26 First rabbis ordained in Poland since the Holocaust 14:07 Israeli film wins people's choice award at Moscow Film Festival 15:45 Hamas won't recognize Abbas presidency past January 2009 00:57 Postal Authority to rescind decision to lay off 150 workers 16:27 Former Israeli spymaster: We have year to hit Iran nukes 21:21 Sheldon Adelson - Jewish philanthropist or meddler in Israel's affairs? 13:30 VIDEO: Amy Winehouse's explosive performance at Glastonbury Previous Editions Select Day 29 jun 27 jun 26 jun 25 jun 24 jun 23 jun 22 jun 20 jun 19 jun 18 jun 17 jun 16 jun

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