Qatar FM arrives in Gaza to mediate between Abbas and Haneya

Foreign Minister of Qatar Sheikh Hamad Ben Jassem al-Thani arrived at a crossing border point between Gaza Strip and Egypt on Monday night and held talks with President Mahmoud Abbas there.

President Abbas received al-Thani at Rafah borders crossing between southern Gaza Strip and Egypt, where they held a 30-minute bilateral meeting.

After the meeting, both Abbas and al-Thani headed to Gaza City for a meeting with Prime Minister Ismail Haneya.

Sources at President Abbas' headquarters in Gaza said al-Thani's meeting with Abbas and Haneya aims at bridging the differences between Abbas and Haneya on forming a national unity government.

Abbas and Haneya agreed on forming a national unity government but their agreement didn't come into being, and consequently, differences mounted and sparked clashes between militants of Hamas and security members loyal to Abbas.

Tow days ago, al-Thani held talks with Hamas politburo Chief Khaled Mashaal in Damascus, which was described as "important" following news about a new Qatari plan to help the Palestinians agree on a united program satisfying the international community without harming the Palestinian principles.

Source: Xinhua