Palestinian national unity talks called off

[Gimel]

Representatives of the Palestinian Authority and various Palestinian groups announced Saturday that they have decided to postpone indefinitely their talks over the establishment of a united national leadership.

The talks, which began last week, were supposed to resume in Gaza City Saturday evening amid growing signs that Hamas and Islamic Jihad were prepared to join the proposed leadership group.

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Islamic Jihad official Nafez Azzam said his group and Hamas needed additional time before they formulate their final position regarding the different ideas they received from the PA. He predicted that a new date would be set for the resumption of the inter-Palestinian talks within the next 48 hours.

Former PA security minister Mohammad Dahlan met last week with Hamas leader in the Gaza Strip, Abdel Aziz Rantisi, and relayed to him a message from PA Chairman Yasser Arafat on his proposal to share power with Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and other radical groups. Dahlan then went back to Ramallah, where he briefed Arafat on the outcome of the talks.

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