Talks between Hamas, Fatah postponed

The talks are now set to take place in late September after Eid ul-Fitr, the celebration following the Islamic holy month of Ramadan which started on Saturday, an unnamed official was yesterday quoted as saying by the agency.

It was supposed to be held on the 25th of August.

However, the official said that Egyptian efforts to solve the differences between Fatah and Hamas movements will continue.

He said the postponement came amid a flurry of Egyptian diplomatic activity and visits that started last Monday to Ramallah and Damascus in addition to meetings with the Palestinian Authority President and Fatah chief Mahmud Abbas.

Hamas, which rules Gaza Strip, had renewed its refusal to hold elections before reaching a comprehensive settlement with Fatah on the suspended points adding that the meetings with the Egyptian delegation were informative yet gave no signs that the next round of talks could be successful.

The pending points focus on a new electoral law, restructuring security forces and formation of a coordination committee between Gaza and the West Bank before the elections.
Egypt has been fostering the reconciliation talks between Hamas and Fatah.