Hamas mulls denying Fatah leaders entry to Gaza
Published today (updated) 31/08/2009 14:01
www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=222618

Gaza - Ma'an - Hamas hinted on Monday that Fatah officials who have been in
the West Bank for their party's recent convention might not be allowed to
return to the Gaza Strip.

"The Gaza Strip is accessible for all Palestinian people, but officially and
in coordination with the government in Gaza. It is not accessible for those
who violated the law and coordinated with occupation," Hamas spokesman Fawzi
Barhoum told Ma'an.

Barhoum's comments came in response to an announcement by Azzam Al-Ahmad,
the head of Fatah's parliamentary bloc that Gazan members of Fatah's Central
Committee will head to Gaza soon.

With regards to future unity negotiations with Fatah, Barhoum said, "The
date of the next round was not confirmed. Egypt will release a draft about
the unresolved topics for Hamas and Fatah to discuss."

Hamas officially barred some 300 Fatah members from leaving Gaza for the
conference in the West Bank city of Bethlehem. An unknown number managed to
sneak out of Gaza and attend the summit alongside another 2,000 delegates
from across the world.

Hamas said it was preventing the Fatah members from travelling in order to
pressure the Palestinian Authority to release members of the Islamic
movement from prison.