abu-alwafa

Qurei'a goes to Gaza to discuss national unity with resistance leaders

Occupied Jerusalem: 21 September, 2003 (IAP News)

Palestinian Prime Minister-designate Ahmed Qurei'a traveled to Gaza Sunday
for talks with the leaders of the main Palestinian resistance groups for
talks on the formation of a new national government.

Palestinian sources said Qurei'a's talks in Gaza would focus on reaching a
new cease-fire with Israel and the possibility of including some
Islamist-minded figures to Qurei'a's cabinet.

Qurei'a is expected to present his government to the Palestinian legislative
council early next week, Palestinian sources said.

According to Israel Radio, Qurei'a told the resistance groups, which
included Fatah, Hamas and Islamic Jihad, that the Palestinians must present
a united front.

The two chief Islamic resistance groups, Hamas and the Islamic Jihad, are
unlikely to join the new Palestinian government on the grounds that any
Palestinian government would be meaningless under the Israeli
occupation.

Israel Radio stated that senior Islamic Jihad leader Mohammed al-Hindi said
his people will not participate in a Qurei'a-led government, and Hamas
spokesman Ismail Haniya said members of his organization will continue
talking with the Prime Minister-designate for the time being.

However, the two groups have indicated their willingness to negotiate a new
cease-fire with the Zionist regime, a sin qua non for the success of the
Qurei'a government.

Meanwhile, Palestinian sources intimated that the United States was pressing
Qurei'a to include in his government two ministers from the outgoing
government of Mahmoud Abbas.

The two are internal security minister Muhammed Dahlan and Information
minister Nabil Amr.

It is not clear if Qurei'a has acceded to the American demands.
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