Continued Talks For Palestinian State, Abbas Calls for Unity

GAZA: Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoum on Monday dismissed President Mahmoud Abbas’ call for unity talks on Sunday during Fatah Central Committee and Revolutionary Council meeting.

“Abbas’ comments about dialogue are meaningless when the Palestinian Authority’s security forces continue to detain Hamas supporters in the West Bank,” Barhoum said.

Earlier on Sunday, President Mahmoud Abbas said that unity talks between Fatah and Hamas would continue despite an apparent scheduling conflict. A session of the Palestinian National Council is scheduled for the next day.

Barhoum said that Abbas should lay the ground for a successful dialogue, reiterating Hamas’ stance that an agreement be signed on 25 August rather than indefinitely into the future.

Barhoum also called on Egyptian mediators to try and push past obstacles impeding a successful dialogue, and secure the release of all political detainees held in the West Bank.

With regard to the newly elected Fatah leadership, Barhoum said, “They are facing three tests; the Palestinian dialogue, adopting resistance instead of negotiations with Israel, and protecting inalienable Palestinian rights.”

He said Hamas wants to see more action, and less talk.

In a speech in Ramallah on Sunday, Abbas said that the PLO’s decision to hold a meeting of the PNC on 26 and 27 August would not stop the unity talks, which were scheduled for the 25th.

Abbas said the PNC meeting “will not change our view of the Palestinian national dialogue, because we are determined to continue this dialogue.”

The president did not say whether the dialogue would be rescheduled. But he did say that he had received a letter from Egypt regarding the continuation of talks, but did not divulge its contents.