By Xinhua,
Gaza : A status of optimism has dominated the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip following President Mahmoud Abbas and deposed Prime Minister Ismail Haneya calls on launching a comprehensive dialogue aims at ending a status of split and disputes between rival Fatah and Hamas movements.
Palestinian observers believe that last week’s speeches of both Abbas and Haneya had widely opened the door for unity and for ending the status of division, amid waiting for an Arab umbrella to host the dialogue.
Since Hamas has taken control of the Gaza Strip and routed Abbas Fatah security forces one year ago, there were many attempts made by the Palestinians and Arabs to bring both movements back to the table of dialogue.
Though Gazans expressed concerns that the two rival movements’ leaders do not have a true intention to turn their words into deeds, observers see that this time Fatah and Hamas are closer for a national reconciliation than before.
Leaders of Palestinian factions had agreed that there is still an opportunity to achieve the national reconciliation if the two sides really want to continue what they have earlier announced.
On Saturday, Hamas held meetings with other Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip to prepare for resuming national dialogue.
Jamil Mezher, a leader in the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) said his group hopes to put an end to the current catastrophic and tragic situation and ending an Israeli blockade that had affected all aspects of life.
Islamic Jihad leader Nafez Azzam said that the positions of both Abbas and Haneya and their unconditioned calls for holding a dialogue had generated a new hope among the people in spite of the current difficult situation.
While Fawzi Barhoum, a Hamas spokesman in Gaza, said his movement is waiting for an Arab position to cuddle the Palestinian reconciliation similar to the reconciliation that happened in Lebanon a few weeks ago.
“There is intercommunication with all leaders including Arab League Secretary General Amr Musa to begin an actual stage and adopt a comprehensive dialogue,” said Barhoum.
“Abbas’s speech this time is different and more positive than before,” he said.
Palestinian media reported that Abbas had asked Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to sponsor a comprehensive Palestinian dialogue that can achieve an internal reconciliation.
The London-based newspaper al-Hayyat had reported on Sunday that leaders of Fatah and Hamas won’t sit together on the same table at least in the first stage, adding that the dialogue will be through an Arab mediator in reference to Egypt.
Abdallah al-Ifranji, a senior Fatah leader, said his movement decided to stop all kinds of incitement campaigns, while Hamas leader Ismail Radwan said that his movement is committed to a media campaign without incitement.
Mezher agreed that “accusations and incitement should end first in order to launch a real and serious dialogue” since the issue needs a positive atmosphere amid an Arab sponsorship.
He said his group is scheduled to hold separate talks with leaders of both Fatah and Hamas movements “in order to get out from the dark tunnel.”
Barhoum, meanwhile, asserted that his movement does not oppose treating all disputes and outstanding issues through dialogue and national accordance.
“We are in front of a new Fatah position. Accepting the initiative to launch a comprehensive dialogue means preparing the atmosphere for reaching a final agreement,” said Barhoum.