Hamas accuses Abbas of blocking reconciliation

GAZA - Islamic Hamas movement on Sunday accused Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's office and his Fatah party of blocking national reconciliation due to their reservation over Qatar's mini-summit proposal.

Fatah's reservation stems from the issue of Palestinian diplomatic representation after Qatar called for a mini-summit that would put Hamas in equal status with Fatah.

"The Presidency and Fatah's clinging to the issue of representation and legitimacy is untrue justification and it shows their responsibility for obstructing the reconciliation's efforts," said Sami Abu Zuhri, a Hamas spokesperson.

"Hamas won the parliamentary elections in 2006, so Fatah should respect Hamas' legitimacy instead of using it as a pretext to put obstacles on the way of reconciliation," Abu Zuhri told Xinhua.

On Saturday, an aide to Abbas said in a statement that there is "a solo legitimate representative for the Palestinian people in any Arab, regional or international summit."

Qatar's Emir Sheikh Hammad bin Khalifa Al Thani suggested the mini Arab meeting of Palestinian reconciliation during the opening of the Arab League's annual summit in Doha Tuesday. The call was welcomed by Hamas right away.

A year after winning the legislative elections, Hamas routed pro-Abbas forces, ousted Fatah and took over the Gaza Strip in 2007, leaving Abbas's rule confined to the West Bank.

Egypt and Qatar have brokered several deals between the two movements to reconcile, form transitional government, integrate security services and hold elections. However, the agreements could not be implemented.