The Jerusalem Post reports Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal celebrated a new Palestinian partnership Thursday when they met in Cairo to discuss a reconciliation pact. Mashaal said the two had turned a new page in relation to the Palestinian nation while Abbas, who heads Fatah, explained that "there are no more differences between us now."
On Wednesday, Hamas said its position toward Israel would not change after the formation of a Palestinian unity government.
Hamas also reiterated its opposition to the appointment of current PA Prime Minister Salam Fayyad as head of the proposed unity government.
“Hamas will not change its position toward Israel, which will remain our enemy,” Hamas legislator Salah Bardaweel said Wednesday. “Hamas won’t recognize Israel and won’t give up its principles.”
If it doesn’t, however, and a unity government is formed, this will run the risk of endangering EU cooperation with the PA.UN Ambassador Andrew Standley said the EU’s longstanding position that it would not engage with Hamas until it recognized Israel, abandoned terrorism and accepted previous Israeli-Palestinian agreements has not changed.
