Hamas working towards reconciliation despite disagreements

 Hamas Gazan leader Ismail Haneya said on Friday that his party is working to end its split with long- time rival Fatah despite that there are disagreements voiced within the Islamic movement.

Haneya hailed the agreement signed in the Qatari capital of Doha earlier this month between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, also the Fatah chief, and Hamas supreme leader Khaled Meshaal, referring it as "an Islamic reconciliation."

According to the agreement, Abbas will form a transitional technocrat unity government that would prepare for the general elections and observe the reconstruction of Gaza.

However, several Hamas leaders, headed by strongman Mahmoud al- Zahar, are opposed to the deal, calling it illegal and contradicting with the basic Palestinian law. 

Asked by Xinhua if there are differences over the Doha declaration, Haneya said he and Meshaal held a meeting on Wednesday over the matter.

The Gazan leader stressed "this Islamic project (Doha agreement) and all its components are acting in accordance to the Islamic reconciliation and we are sticking to this principle."

Haneya admitted that there are differences within Hamas over the Doha deal, but noted that while "those views and opinions are respected, we in the movement worked to discuss how to implement the declaration and guarantee that it won`t collapse again."

Earlier reports said that the meeting held in Doha between Meshaal and Haneya had failed to overcome the differences over Doha declaration.

Source: ANTARA