Hamas hits out after coalition talks suspended

Talks on forming a Palestinian national unity government were suspended because Fatah was not serious about resolving the violent crisis threatening to tear Palestinians apart, a senior official of the militant Hamas group alleged today.

“Dialogue has been halted because of the other party’s non-seriousness, and its behaviour on the ground by killing and kidnapping (Hamas members) despite the high self-restraint practised by Hamas,” Moussa Abu Marzouk, deputy head of Hamas’ politburo said in Damascus, Syria.

Despite this, Abu Marzouk ruled out that the inter-Palestinian fighting, that has killed more than 60 people since December, would lead to a civil war between Hamas and Fatah.

But in Gaza, Information Minister Youssef Rizka, of Hamas, warned that the two sides were close to civil war.

Earlier, news of the suspension of the coalition talks had sparked battles between Hamas and Fatah gunmen across the Gaza Strip. Security compounds were attacked, knocking out an electrical transformer. Several local commanders were kidnapped.

Four people were killed and large parts of Gaza City were plunged into darkness.

Saudi Arabia and Egypt offered to mediate. Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah said the infighting was shameful, and offered to host talks in the holy city of Mecca.