Palestinian dialogue in Cairo; Hamas, Islamic Jihad: we will not accept cease fire
Egypt-Palestine, Politics, 1/24/2003

Some 12 Palestinian groups start today a comprehensive dialogue aiming at reaching a joint work program and will discuss several proposed documents mainly the Egyptian document which works for freezing armed struggle for one year, while simultaneously stressing the right of resistance by all means.

The sessions of dialogue, the first of its kind, sponsored by Egypt will be held with the participation of the most important Palestinian groups, namely the Fatah movement, which is chaired by President Yasser Arafat, and its delegation is led by the secretary of the PLO executive committee Mahmoud Abbas, Abu Mazin, and the two movements of Hamas and the Islamic Jihad and the two People Front and Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine.

The dialogue was almost a failure before it had started several times and the last of which was on Tuesday when the Hamas and the Islamic Jihad movements suspended their participation because there was not an invitation for the People's Front for the Liberation of Palestine- General Command-, led by Ahmad Jibril, and al-Saeqa organization. However, the crisis was contained by directing invitations to the two organizations by Egypt.

According to official sources at the dialogue committee, three papers will be submitted in addition to certain thoughts for discussions in order to conclude with a document that will be a result of reconciliation as a joint national program and the first document which is considered the national unity document concluded in Gaza in August 2002 where the Islamic Jihad and Hamas had reservations about some of its items especially the borders of the Palestinian state which was set within the territories occupied by Israel in 1967 including Jerusalem and UN resolution 194 on the ground that one of its items states the return back of the Palestinian refugees or compensating for them, according to the two movements.

The second paper was that named "Hamas and Fatah agreement" which was concluded during the session of dialogue in Cairo by the end of 2002 and gave no mention to the borders of the future Palestinian state and stressed the rights to resistance.

The third paper is the Egyptian documents with copies of it handed over to the participating groups. This document, according to Palestinian officials stressed giving peace efforts the opportunity to prove efficiency on placing the Palestinian question on the right track and to freeze armed struggle for one year so as to be able to maintain negotiations for peace.

However, Hamas movement whose delegation to Cairo's dialogue is led by the chairman of its political bureau Khaled Mashaal agrees to halt the Palestinian operations against the Israeli civilians in return for Israel's halting of all its aggressions against the Palestinian civilians.

Previous Stories:
  Palestinian dialogue in Cairo includes Palestinian General Command, al- Saeqa   (1/23/2003)
  Palestinian dialogue in Cairo includes Palestinian General Command, al- Saeqa   (1/23/2003)
  UN envoy voices serious concern over demolition of palestinian property in west bank   (1/22/2003)
  Palestinian shot by Israelis, settlers burnt Palestinian al-Awqaf headquarters   (1/20/2003)
  Hamas rejects Egyptian proposal to halt Fedayeen operations   (1/18/2003)
  Abu al-Abbas in Cairo   (1/7/2003)

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