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Jordan to Host Fatah-Hamas Talks

Jordan will host a meeting between Fatah and Hamas leaders in order to defuse the factional violence between the two parties.
 
Palestinian Prime Minister Isma’il Haniyya, of Hamas, welcomed an official invitation to visit Jordan to discuss the latest developments in the Palestinian areas and meet with Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud ‘Abbas.
 
Hamas government spokesman Ghazi Hamad confirmed that Haniyya accepted an invitation to Jordan from Jordanian Prime Minister Ma’rouf Al-Bakhit and was making the necessary arrangements for the visit.
 
The official invitation to a Hamas official indicates a thaw in relations between Jordan and the Hamas movement, Hamad told Al-Jazeera.
 
This will be the first time a Hamas official will undertake on a formal visit to Jordan since Hamas was elected to power in January’s legislative elections.
 
The meeting between ‘Abbas and Haniyya in Jordan is expected to take place later this week.
 
Jordan, which signed a peace deal with Israel in 1994, is trying to expand its role of mediator among Palestinian factions, as well as between Palestinians and Israelis.
 
Tension between Fatah and Hamas worsened last week after ‘Abbas called for early elections, a move Hamas officials considered was aimed at undermining their power. Several Palestinians were killed in ensuing armed clashes.
 
Hamas dominates the government and parliament, but the hard-line party’s rise to power has caused a freeze in most international aid to the Palestinian Authority.
 
So far, Hamas has refused to accede to international demands to recognize Israel, renounce terrorism and acknowledge previously signed agreements with Israel.
 
Talks for forming a national unity government have so far been unsuccessful.