Xinhua
July 19, 2012 - 12:00am
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2012-07/19/c_131726472.htm


Palestinian reconciliation is frozen until Hamas allows the elections committee to resume its work in the Gaza Strip, an official from President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah party said Thursday.

"We are not ready to hold any meeting with Hamas before it cancels its unjustified position," said Azzam al-Ahmad, a member of Fatah Central Committee, referring to the closure of the Central Elections Commission (CEC) office in Gaza.

Hamas took over Gaza in 2007 after routing pro-Abbas forces in deadly battles.

Hamas shut down the CEC headquarters in Gaza in June, shortly after the committee was allowed to work there and a day before new voters' registering begins.

Earlier this year, Hamas and Fatah reached agreements in Qatar and Egypt to restore political unity of Gaza and the West Bank via elections.




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