Palestinians in crisis talks to end deadly power struggle

RAMALLAH – Cross-party crisis talks aimed at putting a lid on deadly Palestinian factional rivalry began yesterday with appeals for unity in the face of mounting economic and political pressure.

Palestinian Authority president Mahmud Abbas, whose once ruling Fatah party has become increasingly ensnared in deadly gunfights with loyalists of the new Hamas government, was chairing the talks from the West Bank town of Ramallah. Hamas prime minister Ismail Haniya was in Gaza City and taking part via videophone, owing to Israeli travel restrictions.Apart from Fatah and Hamas, representatives from a dozen other Palestinian factions, academics, city mayors, religious leaders and representatives of civil society were taking part in the two days of scheduled talks.”I think that all parties have a serious desire for this dialogue to succeed and to foster propitious circumstances to this end.We are committed to the unity of the Palestinian people and allowing dialogue to prevail rather than the language of weapons,” Haniya told reporters before the talks began.He underscored that the “national dialogue” was taking place at a time when the Palestinians were “facing political and economic siege and of tensions in the Gaza Strip in the force of struggles between Fatah and Hamas members”.Independent deputy Hanan Ashrawi, who delivered the first speech to delegates, said the Palestinians could not afford to be divided.”We are conscious of the seriousness of the situation and of the threats which are facing the internal security of the Palestinian people as well as the economic and political siege which is being imposed on us,” she said.Ashrawi, a former peace negotiator, said it was essential for the Palestinians to remain united in the face of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s threat to unilaterally fix the Jewish state’s final borders – a plan described as “bold” by US President George W.Bush this week.”This plan is treacherous and dangerous and certainly not ‘bold’ as Bush said.”Officials have described yesterday’s talks as a last chance to stop the Gaza Strip disintegrating into full-on internecine strife by focusing on the joint goal of Palestinian independence.At least 10 Palestinians have been killed in recent inter-factional unrest in Gaza pitting Fatah-dominated security officers against loyalists of the new Hamas-led government, including two on Wednesday.Deadly shootings and assassination attempts against two Fatah security chiefs have elicited repeated calls from leaders on both sides to avoid a descent into civil war, as each blames the other for sparking the troubles.- Nampa-AFPHamas prime minister Ismail Haniya was in Gaza City and taking part via videophone, owing to Israeli travel restrictions.Apart from Fatah and Hamas, representatives from a dozen other Palestinian factions, academics, city mayors, religious leaders and representatives of civil society were taking part in the two days of scheduled talks.”I think that all parties have a serious desire for this dialogue to succeed and to foster propitious circumstances to this end.We are committed to the unity of the Palestinian people and allowing dialogue to prevail rather than the language of weapons,” Haniya told reporters before the talks began.He underscored that the “national dialogue” was taking place at a time when the Palestinians were “facing political and economic siege and of tensions in the Gaza Strip in the force of struggles between Fatah and Hamas members”.Independent deputy Hanan Ashrawi, who delivered the first speech to delegates, said the Palestinians could not afford to be divided.”We are conscious of the seriousness of the situation and of the threats which are facing the internal security of the Palestinian people as well as the economic and political siege which is being imposed on us,” she said.Ashrawi, a former peace negotiator, said it was essential for the Palestinians to remain united in the face of Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert’s threat to unilaterally fix the Jewish state’s final borders – a plan described as “bold” by US President George W.Bush this week.”This plan is treacherous and dangerous and certainly not ‘bold’ as Bush said.”Officials have described yesterday’s talks as a last chance to stop the Gaza Strip disintegrating into full-on internecine strife by focusing on the joint goal of Palestinian independence.At least 10 Palestinians have been killed in recent inter-factional unrest in Gaza pitting Fatah-dominated security officers against loyalists of the new Hamas-led government, including two on Wednesday.Deadly shootings and assassination attempts against two Fatah security chiefs have elicited repeated calls from leaders on both sides to avoid a descent into civil war, as each blames the other for sparking the troubles. – Nampa-AFP