HOLY LAND: FATAH & HAMAS AGREE ON HOW TO DIVVY UP CABINET POSTS

Fatah source says deal reached with Hamas on Cabinet make up
By Avi Issacharoff,
Haaretz Correspondent, and Agencies

Rival Palestinian factions reached an agreement on how to divvy up Cabinet posts in a power-sharing government, crucial to averting a civil war, a Fatah official said Thursday.

The leaders of rival Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah on Thursday returned to negotiations in Saudi Arabia to reach an agreement on a unity government that could curb weeks of infighting and end an international blockade.

On the second day of their marathon summit, the two factions were still working on the second part of the agreement: to what degree a new goverment will recognize previous peace deals with Israel.

That issue is key to whether any government that emerges from the Mecca conference will be accepted by the United States and Israel. If they judge that the militant Hamas group has moderated enough as part of a new government, it could mean the lifting of the painful financial boycott of the Palestinian government and a resumption of the peace process with Israel.
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It will be interesting to see the wording of the deal on the "recognition of Israel" to see what islamic chicanery was used to make it palatable for the infidels...

and

Mecca summit highlights Hamas dominance, MK says

"The Mecca summit indicates a watermark of the Islamization of the conflict...It has become a place where (Palestinian President Mahmoud) Abbas comes to recognize the dominance of Hamas," Knesset Member Yuval Steinitz (Likud) told foreign diplomats.

According to Steinitz, "Instead of creating delusions of equality between the factions, we must hit Hamas hard, in its terror leadership and infrastructure." (Amnon Meranda)


Why all this bloviating about Hamas, Fatah and Summits in Mecca?!?

This is why:

Palestinian Factions Begin Talks in Mecca

Leaders of the two main Palestinian factions, Fatah and Hamas, are meeting in the Muslim holy city of Mecca to try to form a unity government and end the intra-Palestinian violence that has rocked Gaza. The host of the meeting, Saudi Arabia, says solving the crisis is more urgent than ever.

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Pertinent Links:

1) Fatah source says deal reached with Hamas on Cabinet make up

2) Mecca summit highlights Hamas dominance, MK says

3) Palestinian Factions Begin Talks in Mecca