Special report: Abbas calls for referendum on prisoners' document
GAZA, June 19 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian factions including the ruling Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) and President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah movement are likely to reach an agreement on a statehood proposal which is seen as implicitly recognizing Israel, negotiators said on Monday.
"Talks are going on seriously in order to reach an agreement on certain points of the prisoners' document," Prime Minister and senior Hamas leader Ismail Haneya told reporters in Gaza.
The prisoners' document, drafted by prominent Palestinian leaders jailed by Israel, espouses the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on the territories seized by Israel in the 1967 Arab-Israeli war.
It also calls for the establishment of a national unity government and recognition of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) as the supreme and legitimate representative of the Palestinian people.
The PLO is an umbrella grouping key Palestinian factions with Fatah as its backbone. But Hamas is not a member.
The proposal, urging a negotiated settlement with Israel, is widely seen as implicitly recognizing Israel.
Haneya, meanwhile, said that it was premature to talk about forming a national unity government.
"It is early to talk about forming a new government," he said. "In any way, Hamas will lead the government for the coming four years since Hamas is the biggest parliamentary bloc."
Abbas has set July 26 as the date for a referendum on the proposal if Palestinian factions fail to reach consensus.
Meanwhile, senior Hamas leader Ibraheem Dahbour voiced cautious optimism on Monday over reaching a deal on the proposal.
"Hamas legislators and leaders held internal consultations and had positively agreed on what appeared in the document as they seek to make the dialogue (on the document) succeed," he told local radio the "Voice of Palestine."
Deputy Speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC)Ahmed Bahar also said that Hamas, which used to oppose the proposal and the referendum, had accepted 15 out of the 18 points listed in the proposal.
Hamas, whose charter calls for Israel's destruct, has so far refused to renounce violence, recognize Israel's right to exist and accept previous Palestinian-Israeli agreements.
The group took power in late March after defeating Fatah in a January election.
But Bahar, at the same time, acknowledged that there were still disagreements over three key issues, but did not reveal further details.
Meanwhile, Hamas sources told Xinhua on condition of anonymity that the factions were very close to reaching an agreement.
But Abbas' Fatah movement remained cautious over the prospects of reaching a deal on the statehood proposal.
Senior Fatah leader and head of Fatah in the parliament Azzamal-Ahmad said, "The 15 points that Hamas agreed to were accepted by Hamas on the very first day that the document was announced while the remaining three points in the document are still being negotiated till today."
The thorny issues are recognition of the PLO as the Palestinians' supreme representative, acceptance of a Palestinian state in the territories Israel seized in 1967 and negotiations with the Jewish state.
Hamas and Fatah have been locked in a heated struggle over control of the security forces. Supporters of the two groups clashed against each other and over a dozen people have been killed in the violence during the past month.
The two groups are planned to hold more talks later in the day.
Meanwhile, the Islamic Jihad (Holy War) reiterated its rejection to the proposal seeking Palestinian statehood.
Jihad leader in Gaza Khaled al-Batsh told reporters that creating a Palestinian state alongside Israel and the recognition of an Arab peace initiative which espouses the principle of "land for peace" would not accepted by the group.
"We voiced our rejection to those points openly and soon we will declare our formal position," said al-Batsh. Enditem
