PA, Hamas to discuss reopening social organizations

The Palestine National Authority and the Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, have agreed to resume talks on reopening some 16 Hamas organizations which the PNA shut down last month in part of a crackdown on Hamas activities. Following the two suicide bombings in West Jerusalem in September and July, the PNA arrested scores of Hamas activists and shut down their organizations in part of a crackdown that was seen at the time as an illustration of PNA anger at Hamas for being allegedly involved in the suicide bombings.

Relations between the PNA and Hamas had deteriorated when signs started to come out indicating that Hamas was involved in the two suicide bombings, contrary to Hamas commitment not to carry out any suicide attacks out of the PNA areas. PNA Arafat, whose aides said was furious at Hamas not honoring its commitments, gave orders to round up prominent activists in the movement. But with the release of Hamas spiritual leader and founder Sheikh Ahmad Yassin and his return to Gaza, relations returned to normal and efforts were done to secure the release of those who had already been detained by the PNA.

Arafat's special secretary, Tayyeb Abdul Rahim, had initiated a meeting with representatives of various national and Islamic groups in Gaza on Thursday to discuss the question of the closed institutions. He told his interlocutors that Arafat had ordered a committee to be set up and discuss the question of those bodies as well as issues related to Hamas detainees in PNA lockups.