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Hamas, Fatah leaders to meet in Doha for reconciliation: official

Xinhua, January 25, 2016 Adjust font size:

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah Party and leaders of the rival Islamic Hamas movement will meet in Doha for reconciliation early February, said a senior official Monday.

The last meeting held between both rivals was in Lebanon in late October last year, and was unsuccessful in ending the discord and reaching reconciliation.

Abbas told reporters he will meet with Hamas leaders to end the internal discord with all participating factions, including Hamas, in control of the Gaza Strip since 2007.

"President Abbas responded positively to Qatar's official invitation and will send a high-ranking Fatah delegation, including members of Fatah's Central Committee, to meet with Hamas leaders," Amin Maqbool, Secretary General of Fatah's Revolutionary Council, told Xinhua.

He highlighted that the meeting will tackle implementation of previous deals and reconciliations reached between both movements, including forming a unity government and assigning a date for elections.

Maqbool denied any former accords existed between both sides ahead of Qatar's invitation, stating, "We expect the meeting will further advance reconciliation rather than simply be a staged media event."

"The meeting will focus on implementing agreements and translating the agreements into action steps, in addition to potentially forming a broader unity government," Sami Abu Zuhri, Hamas's Gazan spokesman informed Xinhua.

Qatar's mediation to end internal Palestinian discord coincided with Abbas's statement two days ago in Ramallah where he stressed the necessity of forming a unity government and holding the elections within three months. Enditem