PA Official Hussein al-Sheikh Holds Talks With Hamas on Political Reform
PA Deputy Chairman Hussein al-Sheikh is reportedly holding talks with Hamas and other factions to rebuild the Palestinian political system and discuss upcoming elections.
Hussein al-Sheikh, Deputy Chairman of the Palestinian Authority, is holding talks with representatives of Palestinian factions and terrorist organizations, according to senior sources speaking to the Arab channel Asharq on Sunday.
According to the sources, the contacts are taking place with Hamas, the Popular Front, and Islamic Jihad, aiming to launch a comprehensive dialogue on rebuilding the Palestinian political system. Al-Sheikh reportedly promised the faction representatives that Fatah is ready to halt the process of electing Palestinian council members abroad to facilitate the dialogue, while also proposing a new date for Palestinian parliamentary elections.
Sources stated that Fatah plans to begin official dialogue with the Palestinian organizations within a week. Additionally, during a recent Fatah Central Committee meeting, a dialogue committee was established under the leadership of senior Palestinian official Jibril Rajoub, including figures like Majed Faraj, Mohammad Shtayyeh, Rawhi Fattouh, and Zakaria Zubeidi. The goal is for Egypt to host a comprehensive summit for all factions in Cairo in the near future.
The sources noted that the talks will address Palestinian elections in November and the reorganization of PLO institutions. Previous attempts to forge an agreement between Hamas and Fatah have repeatedly failed.
Elections for the Palestinian Legislative Council are scheduled for November 28, with Hamas and the faction led by Mohammed Dahlan planning to run a joint candidate list against Fatah. While PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas has insisted the elections will be held on schedule, he previously canceled past votes citing Israeli restrictions on voting in East Jerusalem.
