No unity yet for Fatah and Hamas

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Source: The Jerusalem Post
January 22, 2007

World leaders may have been rooting for them to kiss and make up Sunday, but Fatah chief Mahmoud Abbas and Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal were unable to reach a unity agreement when they met in Damascus.

After first refusing to even come together for talks, the two men were pressed by their host, Syrian strongman Bashar Assad, who analysts said saw securing the meeting as a way to help improve Syria's image abroad.

Under the international spotlight and scrutiny by their followers, Abbas and Mashaal could not agree to a way to end the civil strife that has cost at least 62 people their lives.

Abbas is chairman of the Fatah faction of the PLO and "president" of the PA. Mashaal is a leader-in-exile of Hamas, which has a controlling majority in the PA.

The men will reportedly try again at a follow-up meeting in the coming weeks.

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