Palestinian leaders begin crucial talks in Mecca

Rival Palestinian leaders began crucial talks in the Saudi holy city of Mecca today, vowing to reach a power-sharing agreement to avert civil war between them, a key step toward resuming the peace process with Israel.

Many Palestinians fear that factional fighting will erupt with even greater force if the Mecca talks fail.

In a sign of unity, Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal and President Mahmoud Abbas, head of the Fatah faction, drove to Mecca in the same car for the first day of what Saudi and Palestinian officials have said will be intensified negotiations that will continue until a deal is hammered out.

“We came here to agree and we have no other option but to agree,” Mashaal told the inaugural ceremony in a royal palace over looking the Kaaba, the shrine that all Muslims face in their daily prayers.

Abbas vowed that “we will not leave this holy place until we have agreed on everything good, with God’s blessing ... I tell our people to expect good news, and I hope this (meeting) will not be mere words in the air.”

But tensions continued in Gaza. Hamas militants warned of new violence unless Fatah officers they accuse of being behind an attack last week on an Islamic university are handed over by the end of the day.