Most of the disagreements between Hamas and Fatah have been resolved and an agreement is expected within a few days, said representatives of the two parties at the end of their latest round of talks, Israel Radio is reporting.
Hamas has agreed to most of the clauses in the prisoners’ initiative, said Hamas official ‘Adnan ‘A’sfour, but it is still rejecting issues regarding recognition and negotiations with Israel.
The meetings between the Palestinian Authority’s (P.A.’s) two leading parties began last Friday. P.A. Chairman Mahmoud ‘Abbas gave Hamas an ultimatum, according to which the latter would have to accept the prisoners’ initiative within ten days, or else ‘Abbas would send the issue to a referendum.
The prisoners’ initiative is a document signed early in May by the leading prisoners from most of the Palestinian factions. It discusses ways to end the tension between Hamas and Fatah, and above all calls for the establishing a Palestinian state according to the pre-1967 borders.
‘Abbas has left Ramallah for a tour of Arab countries and returns on Friday for the end of the negotiations. Hamas has until Monday to either accept or reject the initiative.