Fatah-Hamas To Meet Mid-Dec To Finalise Reconciliation Agreement

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 30 (Bernama) -- Come Dec 18, rival Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas will meet in a bid to finalise key issues to an overdue reconciliation agreement, said Fatah’s Head of Political Committee of Legislative Council Ambassador Abdullah Abdullah. He said the meeting was expected to see leaders from both factions ironing out differences to make progress towards the Egyptian-brokered reconciliation plan. He said, among the key agendas of the agreements included establishment of the Palestine state, working towards national unity and continuing to push for admission as member in the United Nations (UN). Abdullah said, another meeting on Dec 22 would be held to include all factional groups in Palestine. The revitalisation of the Palestine Liberalisation Organisation (PLO) was also in the planning, he added. “These are important steps for us towards strengthening unity in Palestine and to prepare for the election next year. We insist on power-sharing. “Our strategy (for national unity) is inclusion, not exclusion,” he told reporters here Tuesday after delivering a public lecture on 'The Current Situation of Palestine' at the Institute of Diplomacy and Foreign Relations. Tuesday’s lecture was also to commemorate the UN’s infamous Resolution 181 in 1964, which divides Palestine between European Jew immigrants and native Palestinians. Earlier in his lecture, Abdullah said Palestine would continue with its mission to become a member of UN, after it fell short of getting one vote of the nine votes required by the UN Security Council Committee. “It will not discourage the Palestinians to push further to be admitted as a member of UN,” he added. He said Palestinians would never give up on their fight for a free Palestine state even if they continued to face aggression, oppression and sanctions from the Zionists. “Even if that meant that the United States would cut off the US$200 million assistance for Palestinian Authority, we will continue to fight. "Our love for freedom is more important than putting a loaf of bread before our children,” he said. -- BERNAMA