A spokesman of the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) said on Saturday that the Egyptian proposal for inter-Palestinian reconciliation needs many answers before accepting or rejecting it.

"There are so many questions that need answers and clarifications over the Egyptian proposal to form a national corporation to coordinate between Gaza and West Bank rulers," said Hamas spokesman in Gaza Fawzi Barhoum.

In the last round of dialogue between the two rival movements, Fatah and Hamas, Egypt proposed to keep the two Palestinian governments in Gaza, ruled by Hamas and in the West Bank ruled by President Mahmoud Abbas.

Egypt presented the idea to form a joint national corporation or committee that coordinated between the two governments until legislative and presidential elections are held in the Palestinian territories in January next year.

Egypt made its proposal to bypass a basic argument between the two groups of forming a unity government with a political platform that is committed to the international requirements, mainly recognizing the state of Israel.

The two groups' leaders will get back to Egypt, apparently on April 26, to hand over to the Egyptian intelligence officials their response to the Egyptian proposal. The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) had earlier announced that the proposal is rejected.

"As we agreed, on April 26 we will tackle all the postponed and substantial issues, mainly the platform of the government, the system of the elections and the security apparatuses," said Barhoum.

He added that Fatah movement is asked to make another step forward and present something new instead of insisting on the issue of abiding by the commitments of PLO.

(Xinhua News Agency April 18, 2009)