'Fatah says Hamas not serious about reconciliation talks'

Ahmad reportedly says movement only agreed to discuss one issue during six-hour talks; criticizes Haniyeh for speaking to media.

By JPOST.COM STAFF, KHALED ABU TOAMEH
Haniyeh shouting, mikes 311 (photo credit: ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Haniyeh shouting, mikes 311
(photo credit: ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Speaking in Damascus over the weekend, Fatah leader Azzam al-Ahmad said that Hamas was not serious about reaching a reconciliation agreement, Palestinian news agency Ma'an reported.
Ahmad said that the Hamas delegation refused to discuss certain issues related to security and that they only agreed to discuss one issue during the six-hour talks, according to the report. The Fatah official related that he had hoped for a breakthrough in the talks and that Hamas would sign the Egyptian reconciliation paper, which Fatah signed in October of last year.
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The Fatah leader also criticized Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh for violating what he said was an agreement between the two sides not to speak to the media, referring to statements made on Wednesday by Haniyeh, Ma'an reported.
Haniyeh said the talks were facing difficult “complications,” but would nevertheless continue.
“I can say that matters are difficult,” he told reporters in Gaza City. “There are complications, and they’re not easy because we are discussing the most important issue: security.”
Haniyeh acknowledged that the differences with Fatah were too big.
“I don’t believe we will be able to solve all our differences during this round of discussions,” he added. “But we are still waiting to see what the outcome of the talks will be.”