According to an al-Shark al-Awsat report, Syria has invited PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) to meet with Hamas leader Khaled Meshal in what is being labeled as a Damascus efforts towards “Palestinian reconciliation”.

While aides to Abu Mazen in Ramallah confirm he is planning to visit with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in the coming days, they deny any plans for a meeting with the Damascus-based Hamas leader. Interestingly, Syrian officials refuse to comment on the planned meeting.

The report adds the Saudis are involved as well, hoping to arrange for a summit in Riyadh that would include the Saudis together with Syria and Egypt.

Senior Fatah official Dr. Saeb Erekat, based in Ramallah, announced on Monday that rumors of a meeting between Abu Mazen and Meshal are simply not true. His words were echoed by senior Fatah official Yasser Abed Rabbo, also based in Ramallah. Actually, the latter had an interesting spin, accusing Syria of inciting against Egypt, seeking to portray Cairo as incapable of advancing reconciliatory efforts.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)