CAIRO, Feb. 6 (UPI) -- Leaders of the Islamic militant group Hamas continued consultations Monday with the Egyptian government in Cairo on forming a Palestinian government.
Leaders from the Gaza Strip, the West Bank, Lebanon, Syria and Iran arrived in Cairo during the weekend, and have major intra-party rifts to address before the new Palestinian Legislative Council convenes Feb. 16, Voice of America reported.
Some Hamas leaders believe the party should enter into a long-term truce with Israel, while others say Hamas should continue its refusal to recognize the Jewish state.
No agreement has been reached on whether Hamas will form a government on its own, or with coalition partners such as with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party, which Hamas defeated in the Jan. 25 Palestinian legislative elections. Hamas won 74 seats in the 132-seat legislature.
