Jordan to host a meeting to renew talks regarding Palestinian unity government

President Abbas and King Abdullah IIof Jordan (MaanImages)

December 26, 2006

Bethlehem - Ma'an – A spokesperson for the Palestinian government, Dr Ghazi Hamad, has on Monday evening affirmed that Prime minister, Ismail Haniyeh received a phone call from his Jordanian counterpart, Ma'roof Al-Bakhit, officially inviting him to visit Jordan.

Dr Hamad told Ma'an that, "Al-Bakhit has called Prime Minister Haniyeh and invited him to visit Jordan and meet with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to deal with the latest developments in the Palestinian arena. Prime Minister Haniyeh responded positively and arrangements for the visit will follow."

Earlier on Monday, a high-ranking source told Ma'an that the Jordanian government invited Haniyeh to visit Jordan and take part in a tripartite meeting comprising himself, Abbas and King Abdullah II of Jordan. The meeting will endeavor to bridge the domestic Palestinian gap so as to contain the crisis and investigate the possibility of forming a unity government.

The same source expected the Jordanian mediation to succeed in laying the foundations for an Abbas-Haniyeh agreement to resume the unity dialogue.