Abbas, Haniyeh Meet in Algeria for 1st Face-to-Face in Years

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh met in Algeria on Tuesday for their first face-to-face meeting in six years. The meeting reportedly was arranged by Algerian President Abdelmajid Tebboune, who was pictured holding hands with the two Palestinian leaders prior to the meeting. Abbas and Haniyeh are both in Algeria for ceremonies for its 60th independence day. No details of the conversation between Abbas and Haniyeh were released. The last round of reconciliation talks between Abbas’ Fatah movement and Hamas was in 2020. Relations between Fatah and Hamas broke down in 2007, when Hamas wrested control of the Gaza Strip from Fatah.