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| Version 9 | Version 10 |
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| Palestinian talks open in Mecca | Palestinian talks open in Mecca |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Leaders of rival Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas have opened crisis talks in the Muslim holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia. | Leaders of rival Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas have opened crisis talks in the Muslim holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia. |
| They hope to re-start negotiations on forming a national unity government and resolve differences that have threatened to ignite civil war. | They hope to re-start negotiations on forming a national unity government and resolve differences that have threatened to ignite civil war. |
| Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal said they would stay until agreement was reached and urged international support. | Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal said they would stay until agreement was reached and urged international support. |
| 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. |
| "We will not leave this holy place until we have agreed on everything good, with God's blessing," Mr Meshaal said. | "We will not leave this holy place until we have agreed on everything good, with God's blessing," Mr Meshaal said. |
| 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 Press holds breath The talks on a national unity government began several months ago, but have repeatedly broken down amid factional violence and disagreement over any new administration's policy towards Israel. | 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 Press holds breath The talks on a national unity government began several months ago, but have repeatedly broken down amid factional violence and disagreement over any new administration's policy towards Israel. |
| Fatah leader and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas met Hamas leaders Mr Meshaal and Ismail Haniya around a table in a palace overlooking the Haram mosque, housing Islam's most revered shrine, the Kaaba. | Fatah leader and Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas met Hamas leaders Mr Meshaal and Ismail Haniya around a table in a palace overlooking the Haram mosque, housing Islam's most revered shrine, the Kaaba. |
| "We want to create a unity government and that is everyone's demand. We want a government that can end the blockade," Mr Abbas said. | |
| "Recent days have been very black and may God not allow them to return... We don't want blood spilt." | |
| Earlier, both groups met King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, who called on them to respond "to the voice of reason". | Earlier, both groups met King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, who called on them to respond "to the voice of reason". |
| 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 |
| The biggest sticking points between Fatah and Hamas have been disputes over how to split the top jobs and the issue of recognising Israel, says Jeremy Bowen. | The biggest sticking points between Fatah and Hamas have been disputes over how to 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. |