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Hamas Presents Options to End Gov't-forming Impasse

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Islamic Hamas movement presented on Monday three options to end the ongoing impasse of forming a new unity government so as to end the current rift with rival Fatah movement.

Fawzi Barhoum, a Hamas spokesman in Gaza, said the three options are: to form a government with Palestinian agenda without commitment to the international requirements; or a government without a political platform; or a unity government that respects the international requirements.

Hamas options to get out of the crisis were made during a political meeting held in Gaza under the title "what kind of government is needed." The meeting was arranged by the Palestinian Peace Coalition (PPC) in Gaza.

The meeting was attended by representatives of Hamas, Fatah and Islamic Jihad movements as well as independent Palestinian politicians.

Rival Fatah and Hamas leaders are still divided in forming a new Palestinian government. Hamas says it won't be committed to the Quartet's requirements because it doesn't want to recognize the state of Israel.

While Fatah movement wants to form a government that is committed to these requirements in order to end around two years of Israeli blockade imposed on the Gaza Strip and an international embargo on Hamas-led government.

"We will never let the dialogue fail because it has already achieved so many positive results. We will keep our dialogue with all Palestinian factions until we form a new status on the institutional, political and security levels," said Barhoum.

Islamic Jihad leader Khaled al-Batsh said the conferees in Cairo had solved more than 70 percent of their mission, adding that his movement proposed missions to work on reconstructing the Gaza Strip.

"We need a government that helps in reconstructing Gaza, prepares for elections and rebuilds the Palestinian security apparatuses," said al-Batsh.

To avoid the impasse on forming a government, Egypt has proposed to form a join committee to be accepted by Fatah and Hamas that works on reconstructing Gaza and prepares for the upcoming elections.

Fatah and Hamas leaders will get back to Cairo on April 26 for a third round of dialogue, during which both will get answers to the Egyptian proposal and continue narrowing their differences.

(Xinhua News Agency April 14, 2009)

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