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Abbas Calls for ‘National’ Meet

Palestinian Authority (P.A.) Chairman Mahmoud ‘Abbas is convening a “national conference” in order to solve the internal crisis, Palestinian media outlets are reporting on Sunday.

The three-day session begins on May 2. ‘Abbas has invited Prime Minister Isma’il Haniyya to attend, alongside his cabinet ministers, and representatives from all the Palestinian factions. The heads of local councils and universities, chief editors of newspapers, NGO representatives and businesspeople are also expected to attend.

The conference’s aim will be to “discuss the present situation, to strengthen national unity and to face the siege, which is imposed on our Palestinian people,” said ‘Abbas.

The Hamas-led Palestinian government has welcomed the proposed dialogue and expressed its desire for the gathering to be “serious.”

In addition to its internal political conflicts, the P.A. is facing a major financial crisis. Some 140,000 employees of the P.A. are waiting for their March and April salaries. Since the Unites States and the European Union ceased their financial aid to the P.A., no solution has been found for the deteriorating financial situation.

In an attempt to help, French President Jacques Chirac met ‘Abbas on Friday and suggested the World Bank establish a special fund to pay the salaries of P.A. employees.

Meanwhile, Fatah student cells in Al-Quds Open University won the majority of seats in the university’s elections across the West Bank over the weekend. Initial results indicate Fatah’s candidates won in 13 out of 14 campuses, with 182 seats. Hamas took 98 seats. The University’s officials are still waiting for final results from six more campuses. According to the university’s website, 20,500 students were registered to the 2005-2006 academic year. Sixty-nine percent of the students are reported to have participated in the vote.