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Last update - 21:31 07/07/2008 Abbas meets with Islamic Jihad leader in Syria, but no sign of Hamas encounter By The Associated Press Tags: Mahmoud Abbas, Islamic Jihad  Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Monday met with the leader of the militant Palestinian Islamic Jihad group in Syria, in the latest incremental step to reconcile the divided Palestinian factions. Talks with Abbas' Fatah movement's archrival Hamas, however, still appear to be far off. Islamic Jihad leader Ramadan Abdullah Shallah told reporters after the meeting that Abbas was open to a national dialogue to end the bitter feud between the two main Palestinian factions, but lots of measures and contacts should be done in order for this dialogue to start, he said. Advertisement Shallah, a close Hamas ally, did not, however, carry any message from the militant group and on the second day of Abbas' visit to Syria to address the Palestinian infighting, it is looking more unlikely that he will meet Hamas officials. The deep rift between Hamas and Abbas' Fatah goes back to June 2007 after fighters loyal to Hamas forcibly seized control of Gaza. Abbas branded the Hamas takeover as a coup and sacked the Hamas-led unity government. Since then, Abbas has resumed peace talks with Israel. Mohammed Nazzal, a member of Hamas' political bureau, told The Associated Press that so far there hasn't been any kind of contact with the Palestinian Authority delegation while in Syria. He said Syrian officials as well as others from Palestinian factions tried to bring Mashaal and Abbas together but the Palestinian president refused. Nazzal said a Hamas delegation would head to Cairo on Tuesday to evaluate an ongoing truce with Israel with Egyptian officials. Three weeks ago, Israel and Hamas agreed to a truce. Although the cease-fire is limited to Gaza, confrontations between Israel and Hamas in the West Bank have already provoked Gaza militants to violate the agreement. The truce is not sacred. We are not obliged to continue with the truce if the Israelis are not concerned, Nazzal warned. Hamas and the Islamic Jihad reject any peace making with Israel and say that armed struggle is the only way to end the Arab-Israeli conflict. Syria, which hosts several Palestinian opposition factions, has said it will support any reconciliation efforts. Syrian President Bashar Assad met Abbas Sunday and Mashaal three days earlier in an attempt to help them out of their crisis. Over the past year there have been several efforts to solve disagreements between the two rivals, but to no avail. Abbas has in the past called for reconciliation talks, but only on the condition Hamas must cede power in Gaza. Related articles: Abbas meets Assad on prospects for Fatah-Hamas reconciliation Why do Arabs prefer Hamas over Fatah? Poll: Abbas more popular than Haniyeh after call for Hamas dialogue Bookmark to del.icio.us   Prisoner exchange Israel signs swap deal, begins exhuming bodies of Hezbollah guerillas. Provocative questions Gaydamak tells TAU student to 'shut up and go to hell' over Angola question.   1.   Some Inaccuracy 20:54  |  Matthew Houston 07/07/08   2.   ABBAS the FIGUREHEAD! 21:38  |  Ben Uziel 07/07/08   3.   HAMAS AGAIN IN VIOLATION 23:28  |  RW 07/07/08

Read & React Barak outlaws 36 NGOs for Hamas fundraising Responses: 156 Akiva Eldar: Terrorist reflected mood of thousands in J'lem Responses: 79 Yehuda Ben Meir: For a united J'lem, spare the terrorist's home Responses: 43 Israel to exhume bodies of Hezbollah men ahead of swap Responses: 33 Rosner's Domain Take military option off the table! (WTR) New Poll: What should Obama do about Iraq? On Israel-Diaspora relations, Israelis are quite clueless How good/bad is Obama's faith based initiative (WTR) Back to Vietnam More Headlines 03:41 Israel signs swap deal, begins exhuming bodies of Hezbollah guerillas 00:44 ANALYSIS / Ron Arad info crucial in advancing Hezbollah deal 04:03 U.S. analyst: Mullen made clear Israel has no 'green light' to attack Iran 01:22 Assad: Direct talks with Israel only after Bush leaves office 03:33 Iran urges UN to help free kidnapped diplomats 02:51 Nazi hunters arrive in Chile seeking Mauthausen 'Dr. Death' 23:24 Israel to close Gaza crossings Tuesday in wake of mortar fire 02:53 Kinneret hits red line, endangering water quality 02:09 Accidents on Ayalon Freeway plummet after billboards removed 02:37 Russian-born U.S. billionaire offers to buy Ma'ariv 22:49 Katsav to Treasury: Give me a luxury car, lavish Tel Aviv office 19:18 Ahmadinejad: Israel and U.S. won't dare attack Iran 18:13 Just 10 of 66,000 Holocaust survivors' heirs get assets back 22:26 Italy to expel Palestinian who took part in Achille Lauro cruise hijacking Previous Editions Select Day 07 jul 06 jul 04 jul 03 jul 02 jul 01 jul 30 jun 29 jun 27 jun 26 jun 25 jun 24 jun

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