Mashaal cancels Cairo visit to discuss Shalit deal
Sources in Hamas deny Egyptian presidential spokesman's declaration that visit of group's politburo chief will take place in coming days. Meanwhile, Iranian foreign minister meets with Mashaal, says 'continuing fight against occupiers is the only possible method of resistance'
Kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit is expected to be released as part of the deal. On Sunday evening, however, sources in Hamas reported that the visit would not take place this week.
The bone of contention continues to be the timing of the deal, especially the part in which Israel is meant to release Palestinian prisoners.
Israel seeks to first get Shalit and then – as part of gestures to the Palestinians, and especially to Palestinian President Abbas – to release Palestinian prisoners.
The release is also expected to take place ahead of preparations for a meeting between Olmert and Abbas. Hamas, however, demands that the prisoners are released parallel to Shalit's release.
The Egyptians will try and get new commitments from Mashaal, which will allow the Hamas leadership to accept the deal, even if Palestinian prisoners are not released immediately after Shalit is released.
The Egyptians will also ask to bind Shalit's release with the chances that a new Palestinian government will succeed. The establishment of such a government will lead to a removal of the economic siege on the Palestinian government, but Abbas has said it would be established only if Shalit is released.
EU Foreign Policy Chief Javier Solana visited Cairo Sunday, and promised that the European Union would work to remove the economic siege on the Palestinian Authority if a new government is established in the PA, especially a technocrat government.
According to estimations, the Egyptians will present Mashaal with the guarantees they reached with the European on resuming the financial support to the PA. Regarding this issue, the Hamas movement will seek to ensure that its central status in the Palestinian arena is maintained in any new government.
A meeting between Abbas and senior Hamas officials in order to discuss the recent developments and the talks between the sides was expected to take place Sunday evening.
The latest initiative to bridge between Hamas and Fatah, which was mediated by Qatar's foreign minister, failed. However, the two parties reached a renewed agreement on halting the tensions between them and removing all types of protest from the streets of Gaza. This prevented the violent clashed which were expected to break out in the Strip on Saturday.
Mashaal meets Iranian foreign minister
Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki met Sunday with Mashaal in Damascus. Mottaki stressed that "national unity is the only way to solve the problems of the Palestinian nation," the IRNA news agency reported.
According to the report, the Iranian foreign minister promised that "Iran's spiritual and diplomatic support in the struggles of the Palestinian nation will continue."
In a meeting held in the Iranian Embassy in Damascus, the two discussed the situation in the region and especially in the Palestinian Authority.
The Iranian minister noted that "the awareness of the Palestinian factions in light of the new satanic conspiracies planned by the Zionist groups in the region is important and crucial."
According to Mottaki, continuing the fight against the occupiers is the only possible method of resistance.
Mashaal elaborated on the Hamas government's opinions regarding the developments in the Palestinian Authority, and added that "all the pressures aimed at breaking Palestine, including the siege, the creation of chaos and the isolation, did not reach their goal."
Mashaal added that "we want to thwart the conspiracies to cause clashes between the Palestinian factions."
Dudi Cohen contributed to the report
