A meeting scheduled for Tuesday in Cairo between the leaders of Hamas and Fatah was postponed because the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, had scheduling conflicts, a Palestinian official said Tuesday.
Palestinian Chief Negotiator Saeb Erekat told reporters in Cairo that Abbas’s appointments in Jordan and Turkey delayed his scheduled meeting with Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal.
Last week, two delegations, one from Fatah and the other from Hamas, agreed to meet to discuss nominating candidates for who will form the new Palestinian unity government. Holding the discussions was stipulated in the Egypt-brokered Palestinian reconciliation pact signed in May.
Hamas rejects the nomination of current Prime Minister Salam Fayyad.
On Monday, Abbas said he had the right to choose the prime minister, and stressed that Fayyad is the best candidate for the post.
“I’m the only one responsible for this government, and hence I have the right to say who is to be prime minister,” said Abbas, defending his support for Fayyad.
Erekat arrived in Cairo on Monday and left Tuesday following meetings with Egyptian intelligence officials.
