Following the decision of the Palestinian Authority to return to direct peace negotiations with Israel, Hamas had canceled a meeting scheduled for Saturday evening in Gaza City with a delegation of Fatah to discuss the Palestinian reconciliation.
Al Quds newspaper reported that senior Hamas member Salah Bardawil confirmed the move during a news conference held in Gaza. According to him, Hamas' decision came to protest the approval by the PLO Executive Committee to resume direct negotiations with Israel. Bardawil noted that this decision was in accordance to of the position adopted by Palestinian rejectionist factions regarding the negotiations.
He stated, however, that Hamas will continue its efforts to achieve national reconciliation despite the latest developments.
Fatah and Hamas agreed to hold a meeting between them after a recent invitation by Hamas' Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh for a high level delegation from Fatah during a meeting in a funeral tent for Major General Amin al-Hindi who was the former intelligence chief in the Gaza Strip.
