GAZA, Sept. 22 (Xinhua) -- Leaders of Hamas and Fatah, the two major Palestinian rival factions, are meeting in Turkey to end their internal division and achieve reconciliation, officials said Tuesday.
"The meetings in Turkey are an extension of the previous meetings and dialogues held between" the two Palestinian movements "to implement what has been agreed upon," said Khalil al-Hayya, a member of Hamas' politburo, said in a press statement.
On Sept. 3, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas chaired an online video meeting with leaders of 14 Palestinian factions including Hamas and Fatah, where all agreed on a plan of unity to face the current political challenges.
"Hamas is keen to achieve unity to reach a comprehensive national strategy to confront the challenges, deals, and plans that target the Palestinian cause," al-Hayya noted.
For the dialogue in Turkey's capital Ankara, the Fatah delegation is headed by Jibril Rajoub, secretary-general of Fatah's Central Committee, while Saleh Arouri, deputy chief of Hamas, is leading the Hamas team, a well-informed Palestinian source told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.
During a phone call with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday night, Abbas discussed with Erdogan the current dialogue among Fatah, Hamas and other Palestinian factions in Ankara, and asked the Turkish president to help Palestinians hold elections, reach unity and end their internal split, according to the Palestinian news agency WAFA. Enditem
