Image Credit: Mohammed Omer, Rafah Today 2007-01-22.
Both sides condemned the bloodshed, 'war of words' to continue
Rafah Today via BBSNews 2007-01-22 -- By Mohammed Omer. Despite of the ongoing clashes and tension on the ground which has been relived in the past few days to some extent on the ground, but Palestinian factions will hold further talks within a fortnight on a government of national unity after a meeting between Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas and exiled Hamas supremo Khaled Meshaal failed to achieve a breakthrough. Abbas went to Syria to meet with Mashaal to discuss the possibility of forming a national unity from all political parties.
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Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh speaking to Press.
Image Credit: Mohammed Omer, Rafah Today 2007-01-22. |
The two leaders told a media conference after they met for three hours in Damascus on Sunday night they had made "considerable progress" but that differences remained. They said in a joint statement.
Both political parties, Fatah and Hamas had agreed "to continue and resume negotiations on a government of national unity within the coming two weeks."
Last night's talks had been touted as key to resolving the long-running feud between Abbas's Fatah party and the ruling Islamist Hamas—the past few months clashes between members from both parties took place not only in Gaza Strip, but also in the West Bank where tens of people were killed and many were injured according to Palestinian medical sources.
"We reiterate that dialogue is the only way to resolve our political differences," Meshaal told the media conference, adding that it was wrong to speak of a "power struggle" within the Palestinian Authority.
"There are still points of divergence but the dialogue will continue in Gaza" and he continued saying "or outside to arrive at the formation of a government of national unity." he added.
Both sides in the joint statement condemned the spilling of Palestinian blood and agreed to avoid provocation through "a war of words."
As it's worthy mentioning that the war of words and political speeches were among the very first reasons for all ongoing internal chaos—but all in all, such incidents are taking place while Gaza is under siege imposed by Israel, as Israel is closing the borders including the Rafah Border Crossing which has been closed for almost two weeks now. Israel said that the border will open for 2 days, Monday and Tuesday, but late after midnight, the news spread about closing the border and not considering opening it, despite the fact that there are thousands of people who are stuck on the border and can't return to their homes. Among them, elderly people who are in bad need for medication. The border is expected to be one way open from the Egyptian side to the Palestinian side.
Mohammed Omer is a young journalist/photographer in the Gaza Strip. He and his family have a very rough time in living day to day and they have lost much. In October of 2003, one of Mohammed's younger bothers, Issam, was injured and had to have a leg amputated. Later in the same month another younger brother, Hussam Al-Mouhagir, was killed in his home; shot to death by the Israeli Army that occupies and regularly devastates Palestine. These stories are written by Mohammed who knows no peace, only the continued devastation forced upon civilians who have little voice in the world. Mohammed has covered the Occupied Territories for several years. In 2006 Mohammed won the New American Media National Ethnic Media Award for best Youth Voice. Visit Mohammed's Web site, or write to him to get a more complete picture of what is really happening that main-stream news sources rarely brings to its audience. We are proud to feature articles from Mohammed Omer here at BBSNews, his reporting is some of the only original, on the ground reporting available from the Israeli Occupied Territories.
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