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| Version 6 | Version 7 |
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| Palestinian heads meet Saudi king | Palestinian heads meet Saudi king |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Leaders of the rival Palestinian factions have met separately with Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah ahead of crisis talks aimed at ending clashes in Gaza. | Leaders of the rival Palestinian factions have met separately with Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah ahead of crisis talks aimed at ending clashes in Gaza. |
| Wednesday's talks in Mecca are seen as a last chance to agree on a government of national unity and avoid civil war. | Wednesday's talks in Mecca are seen as a last chance to agree on a government of national unity and avoid civil war. |
| Fatah leader and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will meet Hamas's political leader Khaled Meshaal to try to resolve their factions' differences. | Fatah leader and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will meet Hamas's political leader Khaled Meshaal to try to resolve their factions' differences. |
| More than 20 people died in clashes between the two sides last week. | More than 20 people died in clashes between the two sides last week. |
| Palestinians hope that a coalition administration will end the gun battles in the streets, present a more united front to Israel and encourage the big powers to lift devastating financial sanctions, says the BBC's Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen. | Palestinians hope that a coalition administration will end the gun battles in the streets, present a more united front to Israel and encourage the big powers to lift devastating financial sanctions, says the BBC's Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen. |
| Western boycott | Western boycott |
| It is hoped the influence of King Abdullah and the atmosphere of Islam's holiest city will help the two sides reach a deal. | It is hoped the influence of King Abdullah and the atmosphere of Islam's holiest city will help the two sides reach a deal. |
| KEY ISSUES Reported sticking points: Wording of commitment to previous Israeli-Palestinian agreementsPost of interior minister Areas of agreement: Principle of forming unity government Haniya to continue as PM Foreign and finance ministries to be headed by independent candidates | |
| The biggest sticking points have been disputes over how Fatah and Hamas split the top jobs - and the issue of recognising Israel, says Jeremy Bowen. | The biggest sticking points have been disputes over how Fatah and Hamas split the top jobs - and the issue of recognising Israel, says Jeremy Bowen. |
| The two sides have been locked in a bitter power struggle since Hamas won legislative elections last year. | The two sides have been locked in a bitter power struggle since Hamas won legislative elections last year. |
| Hamas has so far refused to recognise Israel, renounce violence or honour previous agreements - all preconditions to end the Western aid boycott of the Hamas government. | Hamas has so far refused to recognise Israel, renounce violence or honour previous agreements - all preconditions to end the Western aid boycott of the Hamas government. |
| Months of on-and-off talks between Hamas and Fatah have yielded few results. | Months of on-and-off talks between Hamas and Fatah have yielded few results. |
| Clashes between armed supporters of the two groups killed at least 80 people since December. | Clashes between armed supporters of the two groups killed at least 80 people since December. |
| However, a shaky ceasefire has been holding since Saturday, after the latest round of violence flared last week. | However, a shaky ceasefire has been holding since Saturday, after the latest round of violence flared last week. |
| We are going with true intentions to reach a Palestinian-Palestinian agreement that would end tensions and reinforce national unity Ismail HaniyaPalestinian prime minister Press holds breath | |
| Both sides have made encouraging statements ahead of Wednesday's talks in Mecca. | Both sides have made encouraging statements ahead of Wednesday's talks in Mecca. |
| An adviser to Mr Abbas, Nabil Shaath, told French news agency AFP that the "points of differences" between the two sides had lessened. | An adviser to Mr Abbas, Nabil Shaath, told French news agency AFP that the "points of differences" between the two sides had lessened. |
| "Hamas will come into the meeting with new ideas which will perhaps be accepted on a commitment (to respecting) international and Arab accords as well as on the post of interior minister," he said. | "Hamas will come into the meeting with new ideas which will perhaps be accepted on a commitment (to respecting) international and Arab accords as well as on the post of interior minister," he said. |
| Before leaving for Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, Prime Minister Haniya said "we are going with true intentions to reach a Palestinian-Palestinian agreement that would end tensions and reinforce national unity". | Before leaving for Saudi Arabia on Tuesday, Prime Minister Haniya said "we are going with true intentions to reach a Palestinian-Palestinian agreement that would end tensions and reinforce national unity". |
| The influence of King Abdullah (r) may help broker a deal | |
| Separately, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has said he will meet Mr Abbas and US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on 19 February. | Separately, Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has said he will meet Mr Abbas and US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on 19 February. |
| The summit was proposed by Ms Rice during her recent visit to the Middle East aimed at reviving peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians. | The summit was proposed by Ms Rice during her recent visit to the Middle East aimed at reviving peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians. |
| Saudi Arabia also has its own motives for seeking a solution to the crisis in Gaza, says the BBC's Middle East analyst Roger Hardy. | Saudi Arabia also has its own motives for seeking a solution to the crisis in Gaza, says the BBC's Middle East analyst Roger Hardy. |
| Saudi leaders are deeply uneasy about the role of Iran in three of the region's main trouble spots - Iraq, Lebanon and Palestine, he says. | Saudi leaders are deeply uneasy about the role of Iran in three of the region's main trouble spots - Iraq, Lebanon and Palestine, he says. |
| Saudi Arabia may have ambitions of filling a leadership vacuum in the Arab world, he says - though whether they are capable of doing so remains to be seen. | Saudi Arabia may have ambitions of filling a leadership vacuum in the Arab world, he says - though whether they are capable of doing so remains to be seen. |