Member of Fatah leadership reports of proposed compromise to prevent deadlock in talks between rival factions. In any event, it appears agreement will not be signed this month
Rival Palestinian factions Fatah
and Hamas
may sign a reconciliation agreement in Egypt
on two separate dates, according to Azzam al-Ahmed, chairman of the Fatah faction in the Palestinian parliament and a member of the movement's central committee.
Al-Ahmed said this was one of the compromises suggested in order to prevent a final deadlock in the talks between the factions.
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In any event, it appears the agreement will not be signed this month. Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit said Sunday that the signing ceremony set for October 25 will be postponed by "several weeks".
Arab media outlets reported that the dialogue and signing ceremony would be delayed until after the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha, in late November.
Senior Fatah officials, including al-Ahmed, said they were unaware of any delay in the signing ceremony. They added that Egypt, which is mediating between the sides, has not updated them on a change of date.
Hamas members, on the other hand, believe Egypt understands that they cannot shake hands with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
Hamas announced
late Saturday that it would be postponing dialogue with Fatah because of the Palestinian Authority's decision to defer a debate
on a UN report claiming
Israel
committed war crimes in Gaza.
Hamas is demanding that Abbas apologize for his decision.
"Our delegation (to Egypt) has expressed willingness to postpone the reconciliation convention until conditions have improved, following the Goldstone Report and the rage it has created in the public. In the current situation, we cannot shake hands with those who have betrayed the blood of the martyrs and the pain of the injured," senior Hamas member Salah Bardawil said.
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