Five Palestinian factions agree to launch "comprehensive national dialogue"

Text of report in English by independent, non-governmental Palestinian Ma'an News Agency website

["Five Factions Including Fatah Agree On Unity Talks" - Ma'an headline]

Gaza, 19 Aug (Ma'an) - Representatives of five Palestinian factions agreed in a meeting in Gaza on Monday [18 August] that a "comprehensive national dialogue," should be begun in order to end the Palestinian internal political split.

Leaders from Fatah, Islamic Jihad, and the three leftist factions, the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP), the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), and the Palestinian Peoples' Party (PPP) attended the meeting, which was held at the DFLP headquarters.

Talal Abu Tharifeh, a member of the DFLP Central Committee said that the parties agreed that talks should take place in accordance with the Cairo agreement of 2005, the national unity accord of 2006, and this year's Yemeni initiative for Palestinian unity.

Last week the leftist movements and Islamic Jihad met separately with representatives of Hamas in Gaza, forming an "Honour Committee" for national unity, and agreed to approach Fatah to follow up on the issue.

At Monday's meeting, Abu Tharifeh said, the parties agreed in principle on forming a government of national unity that works towards uniting institutions of Palestinian [National] Authority, holding new legislative and presidential elections on the basis of complete partial representation, and the restructuring of the Palestinian Security forces along professional lines.

The groups also agreed on the need to reactivate the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) and the PLO.

Abu Tharifeh also called for an immediate halt to media incitement campaigns, arbitrary detentions and the release of all political detainees through forming a national committee shared by Hamas and Fatah in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

He also confirmed on the need to preserve democratic freedoms, freedom of opinion and representation in the Gaza and West Bank.

Source: Ma'an News Agency website, Bethlehem, in English 0645 gmt 19 Aug 08