Hamas, PLO say must resolve differences

The Palestinian resistance movement Hamas and Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) say they should resolve their differences and end Israel’s occupation of the Palestinian territories.

The PLO sent a delegation to the besieged Gaza Strip on Tuesday to hold reconciliation talks with Hamas. The official talks will begin on Wednesday.

Azzam al-Ahmad, a senior figure of the Fatah movement which is the PLO’s main component, said that the two sides want to end the “division”.

“We want to build Gaza and the West Bank and end the (Israeli) occupation,” Ahmed told official Palestinian news agency WAFA.

Ahmed led the delegation, which was greeted by Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh and the movement’s deputy leader Mussa Abu Marzuq.

Haniyeh for his part called for cementing Palestinian reconciliation “in order to form one government, one political system and one national program.”

The PLO is hopeful to establish a national unity government with Hamas in the Gaza Strip. They also hope to plan future elections.

Meanwhile, reports said that a demonstration was held in Gaza in support of the talks.

Hamas and Fatah have been at odds since the former won the Palestinian parliamentary elections in January 2006.

The Israeli regime reacted to the victory by laying a crippling siege on the Gaza Strip and keeping the impoverished strip under regular deadly attacks.

The two signed a reconciliation agreement in Egypt in 2011, which was not implemented due to some differences.