Bardaweel: reconciliation negotiations stalled because of UN bid

Salah Al-Bardaweel, a member of Hama’s political bureau, hopes that a Palestinian unity government will be formed on the basis of the agreement reached in Cairo. The government will be formed as part of the Hamas-Fatah reconciliation efforts, which have been stalled recently by the Palestinian Authority’s UN bid. Al-Bardaweel has confirmed that the reconciliation negotiations are currently on hold. He accuses Fatah of basing the outcome of the reconciliation on the result of the UN bid. In a statement to Arabstoday, Al Bardaweel denied rumours that a date had been set for further negotiations, which he warns are being harmed by the UN bid. Al-Bardaweel accused Fatah of unilaterally deciding to proceed with the UN bid. On Wednesday night, Hamas confirmed that a meeting of factions has been postponed until Saturday week. Hamas spokesman, Ismail Radwan, said that factions, including Fatah, had spoken to Hamas and had requested the meeting’s postponement. The meeting aims to establish a community reconciliation committee, which is the fourth item in the reconciliation agreement that was signed several months ago. Radwan said that Hamas has encouraged the establishment of a committee to activate the reconciliation agreement, and in particular the agreement’s first point, which calls for elections to be held for the establishment of a unity government.