John Lyons, Middle East correspondent | April 29
RIVAL Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah resumed talks in Cairo yesterday to negotiate a national unity government as hostilities between the two reached new lows.
The first of four sessions ended without a breakthrough on the key questions of security, the Palestine Liberation Organisation and elections, said senior Fatah official Nabil Shaath.
However, "the climate was positive", he said.
"The issues are complex and we are taking an open approach towards them," said Hamas's senior Gaza leader, Mahmud Zahar, confirming that talks would continue overnight.
"The dialogue is in its final phase," the state-run MENA news agency quoted a senior Egyptian official as saying.
"Egypt has put forward proposals to bring the two sides together ... and will listen to their responses."
A national unity government could then begin talks with Israel aimed at resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The meetings came two weeks after Hamas, which runs the Gaza Strip, accused Fatah, responsible for the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank, of attempting to assassinate one of its leaders.
Egyptian officials have been trying since the end of the Gaza war in January to broker a peace deal. This is their third attempt and is seen by many observers as likely to be the last for some time if it fails.
The key points of difference appear to be Hamas's refusal to recognise Israel's right to exist and renounce violence.
Another major difference involves the role of the Palestinian police and security officers - many security personnel in the West Bank are trained by Jordan or the US, which Hamas says is unacceptable.
The Cairo talks resumed as Israel's Foreign Ministry said recognition of Israel as a Jewish state was an essential condition for any resumption of Israeli-Palestinian peace talks.
This followed comments last week by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas that he did not see recognition of Israel as a Jewish state as a pre-condition for peace talks.
Israeli president Shimon Peres warned yesterday that if Israel was drawn into another war it "will always win".
"We do not want war, but if it is forced upon us ... we will always win. The fallen have left behind them a strong and assured country," he said.
Source: The Australian
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