Hamas: Palestinian factions to meet next week

Member of Hamas’ National Relations Office Husam Badran said in a statement that discussions between Hamas and Fatah are not an alternative to the comprehensive national dialogue but they come in preparation for it just as we did with other Palestinian factions.

“Thus, the statements being reported about reaching deals and setting timetables are false. We reiterate our willingness to reach comprehensive national agreements on all matters”, he added.

The Hamas leadership informed Russia that it would be ready to participate in a meeting of the main Palestinian parties and movements when it is organized in Moscow, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said in an interview with Trud newspaper.

The Russia’s foreign minister noted that the most important prerequisite for resuming direct Palestinian-Israeli negotiations is restoring Palestinian unity on the political platform of the Palestine Liberation Organization. "In this regard, we welcomed the timely steps of Fatah and Hamas on the road to overcoming the long-term split, which were announced on July 2 during a joint press conference of authorized representatives of Fatah and Hamas in a video format," Lavrov recalled.

"For our part, we will continue to work with the Palestinians in order to consolidate and develop the emerging hopeful tendency. We are planning to hold a regular meeting of representatives of the main Palestinian parties and movements in Moscow as soon as the sanitary and epidemiological situation allows. In early July this year, Russian President Vladimir Putin had a telephone conversation with Palestinian President (Authority chief) Mahmoud Abbas, who positively reacted to this proposal of ours," Lavrov said. "The leadership of Hamas also informed us of its readiness to take part in such an event," the minister added.