Hamas: Achieving inter-reconciliation still an American decision

Gaza Strip-ruling Islamic Hamas movement on Monday said that achieving the inter-Palestinian reconciliation and ending the internal rift is still an American decision.

Hamas leader Salah al-Bardaweel told journalists in southern Gaza Strip that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party " rejects achieving the reconciliation because its decision is still a hostage in the Americans' hands."

Disputes between the two rivals, Fatah and Hamas, mounted after signing the historic reconciliation agreement in Mecca in Feb. 2007. Their feuds reached its peak after Hamas seized control of the Gaza Strip by force in June 2007.

Al-Bardaweel expressed his movement's readiness "to positively deal with all the efforts to make progress in the issue of the internal reconciliation," adding "Hamas is still keen to achieve the reconciliation in the frame of storing the Palestinian legitimate rights."

In October 2009, Egypt postponed the inter-Palestinian dialogue indefinitely, following ongoing two years of dialogue after Hamas refused to signed on an Egyptian drafted pact of reconciliation saying the pact needs to be amended.

Egypt and Fatah party insist that Hamas should first sign on the Egyptian pact of reconciliation and then any reservations or notes of any Palestinian faction, including Hamas, would be considered after the implementation.

Hamas, meanwhile, had last week violently opposed the resumption of the direct peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, which were officially launched in Washington under the United States' sponsorship.

Source: Xinhua