Fatah: Egypt could host unity talks in 2 weeks

Egypt could host Palestinian reconciliation talks in two weeks, after a failed attempt to bring Hamas and President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah faction to the table this week, a senior Fatah official said on Sunday.

Fatah negotiator Nabil Shaath told reporters his assessment was based on information from the Egyptian mediators, who are steering the initiative to end internal divisions that have also undermined Abbas' attempts at peacemaking with Israel.

"I expect it would be two weeks, minimum, to return to dialogue ... I know that Egypt is working hard in order to find another chance so that the chance would not be wasted completely," Shaath said.

"We in Fatah are interested (in making sure) the chance to return to dialogue is not wasted," he said.

On Saturday, Egypt decided to delay Palestinian reconciliation talks it planned to host on Monday and Tuesday, after Islamist Hamas said it planned to boycott the meeting because security services loyal to Abbas in the West Bank have not freed over 400 Hamas men jailed there.

Monday's planned talks were intended to end the Hamas-Fatah conflict and form a new unity government to replace two de facto Palestinian administrations -- in Gaza, which Hamas seized from Fatah in 2007, and in the West Bank, where Abbas holds sway.

'Real reconciliation needed'

Abbas said on Friday that his forces were holding only criminals, and not political prisoners.

Shaath said Hamas' pretext was "silly", adding he could not rule out disagreements within Hamas pushing them not to attend, an allegation the Islamist group swiftly denied.

Hamas also denied Fatah accusations that its decision to boycott the talks stemmed from pressure from its Middle East allies, Syria and Iran.

Taher al-Nono, spokesman for the Hamas government in Gaza, said the group was also keen to pursue the contacts with Egypt on the possibilities of setting a new date for the talks. But that could happen only "if the right atmosphere is provided, especially on the question of political prisoners", Nono added.

"Even one day, not two weeks, can make a difference if the right decisions are made. We are not interested in dialogue just to take photos but to achieve real reconciliation," Nono said.

Shaath said the more delay there is in returning to the talks the more that would strengthen what he called extremists in both camps who are not interested in dialogue.

Shaath said the Palestinians' influence over the incoming US administration would be weaker if they fail to unite their ranks before Jan. 20, when US President-elect Barack Obama takes office.