Palestinian group Islamic Jihad was attending for the first time a meeting of the PLO executive committee, AFP reported. Islamic Jihad and Hamas have long boycotted the Palestine Liberation Organisation, which groups the major secular factions.
The meeting opened in Gaza City with Islamic Jihad in attendance although Hamas snubbed the invitation to the talks. Speaking before the meeting, Mohammed al-Hindi, a Jihad leader, said the talks would focus on "rebuilding" the PLO.
Dr. Mahmoud Al-Zahhar, a top Hamas' leader, has earlier affirmed that his Movement decided to join the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) after restructuring it in accordance with new bases.
Zahhar said that Hamas' participation in the PLO’s executive committee meetings on Tuesday would be decided by its leaders abroad.
Hamas' decision to join the PLO was taken after the Movement delegation, including Zahhar, held an unplanned meeting in Gaza city with Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas.
