Palestinian dialogue .. A meeting of Hamas leaders to follow up talks in Istanbul with Fatah

Head of the Political Bureau of the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), Ismail Haniyeh, confirmed that the movement’s leadership would hold a special meeting on the understandings with Fatah to decide on them, and to discuss ways to complete the dialogue at the national level.

Haniyeh said in a statement that Hamas attaches great importance to the process of national dialogue in recognition of the common danger threatening the Palestinian cause, explaining that the positive understanding that took place in Turkey was based on the Cairo agreements and the comprehensive agreement concluded in 2011.

He also stressed the consolidation of the principle of partnership in building Palestinian institutions within the framework of the PLO and the institutions of the Authority in the West Bank and Gaza and through the unified national leadership of popular resistance.

Yesterday, Thursday, meetings between Hamas and Fatah, which began last Tuesday, were concluded at the headquarters of the Palestinian Consulate General in Istanbul, Turkey, and the two movements said in a joint statement that they had agreed on a vision that would present a comprehensive national dialogue with the participation of Palestinian forces and factions.

The Fatah delegation was headed by the Secretary of the Movement’s Central Committee, Jibril Rajoub, while the Hamas delegation was headed by Saleh al-Arouri, the deputy head of its political office.

A member of the Fatah Central Committee, Azzam al-Ahmad, had stated that the two movements had agreed to hold general elections soon, adding that it was agreed to hold legislative elections, followed by presidential elections and then elections for the National Council of the Liberation Organization, with Abbas to issue the decrees for their conduct.

Palestinian Prime Minister Muhammad Shtayyeh described the atmosphere in which the talks between Fatah and Hamas delegations took place in Istanbul as positive.

Shtayyeh said - in a statement issued yesterday evening - that the Palestinian government is ready to fulfill all the requirements for the success of the elections as a gateway to renewing democratic life and strengthening the wall of national unity in facing challenges.

The Palestinian arena has been divided since June 2007, following the Hamas takeover of the Gaza Strip, and many mediation and agreements failed to restore national unity.