Eight Palestinian Authority factions meeting in Syria have rejected peace talks with Israel based on the “two-state solution,” according to Kuwaiti media. Among the factions were Hamas and Islamic Jihad.
The groups called on the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), the umbrella group that created the PA, to immediately stop talks with Israel. The PA has agreed to indirect talks with Israel, via United States mediators.
The eight factions slammed US negotiators, and accused special U.S. Mideast envoy George Mitchell of seeking to buy time for Israel to implement its own plans.
While the PA is currently run by Fatah, which supports negotiations, Hamas swept the PA parliamentary elections in 2006 and continues to enjoy significant support in Judea and Samaria as well as Gaza. Fatah won only 45 out of 132 seats in the 2006 elections.
Islamic Jihad has a policy of boycotting elections in the Palestinian Authority.
Hamas has called to postpone new PA elections due to the Hamas-Fatah split, which has left Hamas in charge of Gaza and Fatah in control of Judea and Samaria. However, Fatah officials have announced that elections will be held in the course of 2010 with or without Hamas approval.