El-Zahar: Timing isn’t right for reconciliation

Leading Member of Hamas Mahmoud El-Zahar has said that the current conditions are not suitable for holding meetings between the leaders of Hamas and Fatah. He explained that both Palestinian movements are currently choosing to focus on their internal affairs despite the positive relations and atmosphere between the two movements that could be conducive to pushing the Palestinian reconciliation forward. He said in a press statement that Hamas is currently completing its internal elections to choose the head of its office, while the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is occupied by dealing with internal problems related to the financial crisis from which the Palestinian Authority is suffering. El-Zahar added that potential upcoming meetings would not be official, adding that each party should first express its readiness to be involved in reconciliation. He stressed that the next prime minister should be especially neutral considering he would be responsible for holding the governmental elections. He added that Hamas’ situation with regards to the Palestinian reconciliation is institutional not personal, and that the head of the movement would not make any decisions without consultation.