Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas said on Sunday he remained hopeful a unity government would be formed, rejecting Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas' assertion that talks were starting from scratch.
"We will resume the consultations over the formation of a national unity government and I believe that we have gone a long way down the road (toward an agreement)," Haniyeh told reporters in Gaza. "There is a real hope that it will succeed."
Abbas will meet with Hamas leaders in the Gaza Strip as early as Monday to try to revive stalled talks on a unity government, Abbas' senior aide said. "President Abbas will go to Gaza Monday or Tuesday to pursue efforts to form a unity government," Saeb Erekat told Reuters on Sunday.
"He will tell Hamas, 'If you want a unity government, there are international requirements that need to be met, and that's the only way to form a unity government,'" Erekat said.
