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Feuding Palestinians meet for unity talks

Israel strikes smuggling tunnels in Gaza

AFP, Cairo/Jerusalem
Rival Palestinian factions met yesterday for Egyptian-brokered talks aimed at ending their long-running feud and paving the way for a unity government that could work with the international community.
The reconciliation talks opened a day after the main groups Fatah and Hamas agreed on confidence-building measures to resolve the fate of prisoners detained by both sides and stop a war of words being played out in the media.
The stakes are high as billions of dollars of funds to rebuild the Gaza Strip after Israel's war on the territory may be available if terms set by international donors can be met before an aid meeting next week in Egypt.
“We have no option before us but to succeed, and that will not difficult." said
Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Suleiman, who is mediating the talks grouping about a dozen Palestinian factions.
Fatah and Hamas have long been rivals but their feuding came to a head in June 2007 when the Islamists seized control of Gaza, routing forces loyal to Palestinian president Maltmud Abbas after days of deadly street battles.
Egypt had originally called for Palestinian reconciliation talks in November, but Hamas withdrew at the last minute, complaining that Fatah was continuing to arrest Hamas members in the West Bank.
The reconciliation process was relaunched by Egypt after Israel’s 22-day war on Gaza that ended last month with more than 1,300 Palestinians killed and buildings and infrastructure throughout the impoverished territory destroyed.
Suleiman said Thursday's meeting would focus on setting up committees, which will start work from March 8 on key issues including the composition of a unity government and the restructuring of Palestinian security services.
Hopes of a positive outcome to the talks were boosted after Wednesday's meeting between Fatah, which heads the Western-backed Palestinian Authority, and Hamas - which is boycotted as a terrorist group by Israel and the West.
Meanwhile, Israeli air strikes hit smuggling tunnels between Hamas-run Gaza and Egypt on Thursday after militants in the enclave fixed two rockets into the Jewish state, the army and witnesses said.
The afternoon strikes did not result in any casual ties, witnesses said.
They came after two rockets fired from Gaza struck inside Israel without causing casualties, the army said.