By Xinhua,
Ramallah : Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas presented on Wednesday night an initiative to resume an inter-Palestinian dialogue among all Palestinian political factions and parties including Hamas.
Abbas initiative was presented in a televised announcement aired from his Ramallah headquarters on the Palestinian satellite television.
“Depending on our desire to keep the Palestinian territories united and responding to the calls to bring the situation back to before June 14, I call for launching a comprehensive national dialogue,” said Abbas.
“This dialogue should lead to implementing the Yemeni initiative which was approved by the 20th Arab summit held in late March in Damascus to end the status of internal Palestinian division,” he added.
Islamic Hamas movement took control of the Gaza Strip following weeks of bloody armed fighting with Abbas’ Fatah movement. Hamas forces routed Abbas’ security forces and completely took control of the enclave.
Since then, Hamas government which was sacked by Abbas has controlled the Gaza Strip, while a Palestinian government appointed by Abbas and headed by Sallam Fayyad controlled the West Bank.
“I will move on both Arab and international standards to guarantee getting the full support for this attitude,” Abbas said. “As a result of these efforts I will call for holding early legislative and presidential elections in the territories.”
Abbas called on all parties, including Hamas movement “and all those who have the desire for unifying our homelands to positively deal with my initiative that aims at ending this status of split and division.”