Fatah says to accept Egypt plan for reconciliation

Nabil Shaath, chief of Fatah movement team to the inter-dialogue in Cairo, said on Tuesday his movement has positively accepted the Egyptian plan for inter-Palestinian dialogue and reconciliation.

"The draft of the plan, presented to the factions, is very positive and will be a real outbreak for what Egypt has vowed to kickoff the dialogue and achieve a national unity," Shaath told the official Palestinian news agency Wafa.

Shaath, who is also a member of Fatah central committee, said that Egypt considers the draft of the plan as a work paper for the comprehensive dialogue that is scheduled to be held in Cairo in the first half of next month.

The goal of the comprehensive dialogue is to end the current status of political and economical split between Gaza, which is ruled by Hamas, and the West Bank, which is ruled by President Mahmoud Abbas.

Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip in mid June last year following weeks of fighting with Fatah militants. Hamas had finally routed Abbas' security forces and cracked down on his Fatah movement.

Shaath told Wafa that Fatah is not seeking a Hamas apology for taking the Gaza Strip by force, "but we want Hamas leaders to positively accept the Egyptian plan."

The plan calls for forming a unity government that prepares for early presidential and legislative elections, runs the daily life of the Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza and reform the Palestinian security apparatuses.

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