Rival Palestinian factions in icebreaking talks

Cairo: Palestinian rival groups Fatah and Hamas held a series of "icebreaking" meetings ahead of wider reconciliation talks aimed at repairing the gaping rift between the two groups, members said on Wednesday.

The discussions, mediated by Egyptian intelligence chief Omar Sulaiman, focused on releasing detainees and ending the negative media campaigns each side is waging against the other. Hamas politburo member Izzat Rashaq said the idea was to create a positive atmosphere between the two groups.

Azzam Al Ahmad, of Fatah delegation, described the talks as "very positive, deep and tackled all issues of conflict," and expressed hope they would end "the state of divisions."

Distrust between Hamas and Fatah runs deep after a three-year power struggle, including a civil war that ended with Hamas' violent takeover of Gaza in 2007, leaving President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah only in charge of the West Bank. Hamas claimed Abbas' government ran a Gaza spy ring that fed Israel information about Hamas targets during the fighting. Fatah accused Hamas of killing and wounding dozens of Fatah activists under the cover of the war.

Top Palestinian officials Ahmad Qureia of Fatah and Moussa Abu Marzouqi of Hamas led the preliminary meetings ahead of today's main reconciliation discussions.

In a goodwill gesture, Fatah released 42 Hamas detainees in the West Bank and promised to release more. Rashaq of Hamas hailed the step but described it as not enough.

"This step should be reinforced by releasing the rest of the detainees to end the state of hostility and begin a real reconciliation," he said and warned that unless Fatah releases more, "it will turn to a bomb that would explode in the face of the Palestinian-Palestinian talks."