GAZA, Oct. 9 (UPI) -- Qatari Foreign Minister will hold talks with Palestinian leaders Monday evening in Gaza to try and secure an agreement for a Palestinian unity government.
Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassem al-Thani is scheduled to meet President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh.
Al-Thani held talks with Hamas leader Khaled Meshal in Syria on Thursday. He has presented Meshal and Abbas a plan that would facilitate the creation of a unity government between Fatah and Hamas, and lift political and economic sanctions that have decimated the Palestinian economy. Thus far Hamas has refused to renounce violence and to recognize Israel.
According to the Qatari plan the new government would be headed by an independent figure, and the ministerial positions would be divided amongst Palestinian factions. The plan supports a two state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and a complete cessation of violence.
The new government would recognize agreements signed by the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). The PLO would be reformed according to the Cairo agreement secured in March 2005 and restructured to include Hamas.
Israel soldier Gilad Shalit, abducted by Hamas on June 25, would be released through a prisoner exchange deal.
