Fatah, Hamas Resume Argument A Day After Sana Peace Declaration

Washington, D.C. (AHN) - Less than a day after an agreement hailed as a significant step in the resolution of the conflict in the Gaza strip was reached, Fatah and Hamas resumed their argument over how to continue negotiations.

The Sana Declaration was signed by Azzam al-Ahmad of Fatah and Mousa Abu Marzouk of Hamas on Sunday after a weekend of peace talks aimed at finally ending the fighting in Gaza. Hamas, a militant Islamist organization, took control of the Gaza Strip in June 2007, causing Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to dissolve the Palestinian National Authority's coalition government. Abbas outlawed Hamas and replaced their officials with Fatah politicians. Hamas had de facto control over Gaza until late January this year, when Israel began to cut off fuel and food supplies to Gaza in response to rocket attacks from Hamas.

On Monday, Abbas downplayed the significance of the agreement and denied that it would serve as a framework for further dialogue. "While the Palestinian leadership expresses its appreciation for these efforts, we hereby state that any future resumption of dialogue must aspire to implement the Yemeni initiative, including all its articles. The future dialogue must not treat this initiative as a mere framework for discussions, as this will not achieve any results," he said in a statement, according to the Media Line.

The Yemeni Initiative requires Hamas to relinquish control of Gaza and "accept its obligations to the Palestine Liberation Organisation," according to an official quoted in a report by the Palestine Media Center. It is tentatively due for implementation on April 5.

The same report said that Marzouk reacted strongly to the recent statements from Fatah. "Not a single article of the Yemeni initiative can be implemented without coming to an understanding - there should be a dialogue since practically speaking what you demand cannot be implemented. If this condition remains, then they don't want Palestinian unity," he said.

The Arab League as well as the U.S. had praised the rival factions for reaching the Sana Agreement on Sunday. U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney said in a press conference on Sunday with Abbas as part of a 10-day Middle East tour that he establishment of a Palestinian state was "long overdue."

AHN News Writer Mayur Pahilajani contributed to this report.