Fatah-Hamas negotiations postponed

CAIRO, Nov. 9 (UPI) -- Talks aimed at a political reconciliation between Palestinian Arab factions Fatah and Hamas have been postponed in Cairo, participants said.

Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, and Fatah, which leads the West Bank's Palestinian Authority, couldn't agree on the status of Hamas prisoners held by Fatah, and so the Egyptian-sponsored talks, set to begin Monday, have been put on hold, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Hamas official Ahmed Youssef confirmed to the Times that the two sides had reached a stalemate over the prisoner release. Hamas is demanding the release of Palestinian Parliament head Aziz Dweik, whom Hamas is likely to declare to be the legitimate leader of the Palestinian Authority.

The move would be a challenge to the legitimacy of PA President Mahmoud Abbas, whose term is set to expire in January, the newspaper said.

Meanwhile, Abbas and Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni met Sunday in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheik to brief members of "the Quartet" -- the United Nations, the United States, Russia and the European Union -- on the status of peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, Ynetnews.com reported.