Sources from the Islamic Jihad said Sunday that its delegation arrived in Cairo earlier in the day, inaugurating a series of talks that Egypt will hold separately with the Palestinian factions to end their crisis.
"The one-day talks will focus on finding solutions to the Palestinian impasse and the state of split that affected the whole aspects of life," the sources told the press.
The delegation was made of the Islamic Jihad leaders who are based in Damascus, headed by the movement's Secretary General Ramadan Shalah. Other Gaza-based leaders will travel to Egypt on Monday, according to the sources.
As part of its efforts to broker a national Palestinian reconciliation, Egypt has asked the Palestinian political groups for clarifications about their views to end the feud between the largest Palestinian groups: Islamic Hamas movement and President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah movement.
The split widened last year when Hamas forces routed the regular pro-Abbas forces and took control of the Gaza Strip, separating it politically from the West Bank where the Fatah-dominated Palestinian National Authority (PNA) still rules.
After it received the answers, Egypt invited the factions individually for talks. If the mutual discussions between the factions and Egypt succeeded, Egypt will invite the factions to start their national dialogue in Cairo.
Some media reports said that Hamas' politburo chief Khaled Mashaal has also arrived in Cairo. However, a spokesman for Hamas in Gaza refused to confirm or deny the reports.
Source: Xinhua
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