Palestine News Network (PNN) : "Palestinian officials expect postponement of Cairo dialogue until after Eid Al Fitr"

Palestinian officials expect postponement of Cairo dialogue until after Eid Al Fitr

22.08.09 - 10:37

Damascus / PNN - Palestinian sources said today that the Egyptian delegation led by Assistant Director of Intelligence, Major General Mohamed Ibrahim, suggested postponing the National Council meeting.

President Abbas had said that the Council should meet, while making assurances that it would not serve as disruption to reconciliation between his Fateh party and Hamas. Elections are slated for January and until now all parties publically said that the internal dialogue should be complete before then.

The Hamas party outright rejected the idea of holding elections before the national dialogue. Another Palestinian official says that the dialogue in Cairo should be postponed until further notice, perhaps until after the month of Ramadan.

It seems that a postponement will be until after Eid Al Fitr, the three-day holiday that follows Ramadan which begins today.

It is being noted that the Fateh and Hamas parties continue to bring a spirit of disrepair, one that is inconsistent with the earlier deadline of next Tuesday to complete the dialogue.

The Egyptian delegation yesterday held a second meeting with the Hamas leadership, including the head of the Political Bureau Khaled Meshal and leader of Islamic Jihad Ramadan Abdullah Shallah. They were given an update of the dialogues held with President Mahmoud Abbas and Fateh in Amman and Ramallah.

Al Hayat reports that the Egyptian delegation has three moves: first, to postpone the dialogue session scheduled for Tuesday next, although all the talk is about the date. Second, to emphasize that the dialogue is still ongoing and sponsored by Egypt after the huge public bickering that took place between Fateh and Hamas against the backdrop of the Fateh conference in Bethlehem. And thirdly, to have the final round of talks held in the framework of holding elections early next year.

However, sources in Islamic Jihad told Al Hiyat Abbas was quoted as confirming that the National Assembly session “is not national in character, but rather for the restoration of the executive committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization.” That would radically change whether it should be postponed, or held before or in front of elections.

Another concern is in the overhaul of PLO institutions without losing the national platform. No matter the decision regarding dates, it is clear that great division remains between the Palestinian Authority, the Hamas government, and the rest of the country.



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