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Hamas rivals Fatah called Monday for the forming of a national unity government acceptable to the international community before Gaza's crossings open, a position in apparent conflict with that of Hamas.
"We want a government of national unity which will supervise reconstruction and crossing points so the crossing points are completely open, so that we can bring in products necessary for reconstruction," Azzam al-Ahmed, who heads Fatah's parliamentary group, told journalists.
Ahmed had met earlier in the day with Jamal Abu Hashim, a member of a Hamas delegation from Gaza, to discuss the resumption of reconciliation talks. "It was a consultative meeting to break the ice and to go forward toward reconciliation," Ahmed said. "We have agreed to follow up on the meeting."
The last direct talks between Fatah and Hamas took place in Yemen in March 2008, but Sanaa's efforts at reconciliation came to nothing. Egyptian reconciliation efforts collapsed in November after Hamas said Fatah was arresting its members in the West Bank.
"We must guarantee that any future government will not be boycotted," Ahmed said, referring to the West's refusal to deal with a government that includes Hamas ministers. Ahmed stressed that Fatah is obliged to take the position of the international community, which calls for Hamas to satisfy certain conditions and for forces loyal to Fatah to return to the Gaza Strip.
The Fatah position appears to be in opposition to that of the Resistance group, who said following Egyptian-brokered talks on Sunday that they want Gaza's crossing points open before Palestinian reconciliation talks and that Hamas would have to take part in Gaza's reconstruction.
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