Fatah, Hamas agree to maintain dialogue, al-Aqsa supports Barghouthi

The Palestinian national resistance movement ( Hamas) disclosed that the sudden meeting which was held between the movement and the leadership of the Palestinian leadership in Gaza on Thursday evening came in the course of preparations for a series of meetings that will be launched within the two coming days between Hamas and Fatah and other groups to complete what was started of dialogue.

On behalf of Hamas, the meeting was attended by the two leading figures Mahmoud al-Zahhar and Saeed Seyam. The delegation of the Palestinian authority was led by the PLO chairman Mahmoud Abbas as well as Fatah's official in Gaza Zakaria al-Agha and one of Fatah's officials Samir Mashharawi.

Following the meeting, al-Zahhar told journalists that the meetings will discuss the possibility of reaching what he called a document of honor and a comprehensive national reference to control the conditions of the Palestinian arena. He explained that Hamas will provide papers for the groups to discuss all issues, but gave no further details.

He expressed the readiness of his movement -- which announced boycotting the Palestinian elections -- to think of discussing halting attacks on Israel in order to permit carrying out a problem-free Palestinian elections on January 9th, 2005.