MOBILE DEVICES
Free Headline Alerts     
Worldwide Web WorldTribune.com
Front Cover
Daily Brief
Recent Hits
Real World Links
New Media
Letters
Archives
Blog Line
World Links
Population Clock
Cartoon
Greatest Hits
Gertz File
Advertising Info
Editorial Board
Advisory Board
Contact Info
What Rush Said

  breaking... 


Monday, August 17, 2009

Following leadership conference, Fatah plans to reconcile with Hamas

RAMALLAH Ñ The Palestinian Authority, fresh from Fatah elections that could establish a new leadership, plans to intensify efforts to reconcile with the Hamas regime.   

Officials said the PA, through the ruling Fatah movement, would coordinate to achieve a reconciliation with Hamas in both the West Bank and Gaza Strip, Middle East Newsline reported. They said the prime goal was for the resumption of Fatah activity in the Gaza Strip, ruled by Hamas since 2007.

"We have many tasks ahead, the main one of which concerns relations with Hamas," former Fatah security chief Mohammed Dahlan said.

Dahlan was one of 13 new members of the Fatah Central Committee, regarded as the policy-making body of the movement and a key element in the PA. In 2007, Dahlan was exiled by the Hamas takeover of the Gaza Strip and since then has sought to return.

Also In This Edition

The Central Committee was expected to increase coordination between Fatah and PA security forces trained by the United States. Dahlan, who founded the Preventive Security Apparatus in the Gaza Strip in 1994, was one of three former security chiefs elected to the committee. The other two were former PSA chief Jibril Rajoub, who had been responsible for the West Bank, and former General Intelligence Services commander Tawfik Tirawi.

Dahlan's key rival in the committee was expected to be Rajoub. Rajoub, also chairman of the Palestinian Football Federation and Palestinian Olympics Committee, has been accused of maintaining close ties to Hamas in the West Bank.

"Today the Fatah emerges from this congress united and strengthened," Rajoub said. "This is a revolution."

Palestinian sources said Dahlan and Tirawi were expected to join forces against Rajoub. In 2008, Tirawi accused Rajoub of working with Hamas to overthrow the PA in the Gaza Strip.

About Us     l    Contact Us     l    Geostrategy-Direct.com     l    East-Asia-Intel.com
Copyright © 2009    East West Services, Inc.    All rights reserved.