Hamas PLC representative Salah Bardawil has announced that representatives from Fateh and Hamas will travel to Cairo in the coming few days to meet with Egyptian mediators to try and resolve the current crisis between the two sides and reach an agreement that would culminate in the formation of a national unity government.

The Egyptians are also expected to ask for the release of Israeli soldier Gilat Shalit, captured by Hamas-affiliated groups last June in Gaza. The Egyptian mediation is ostensibly aimed at bringing the Palestinians to an agreement to form a national unity government instead of opting for the alternative of dissolving the government and to also prevent any further escalation of inter-factional fighting, which has already reached alarming levels and has claimed several lives.

Fateh previously proposed that a technocratic government be formed for one year in which cabinet members would be professionals and experts instead of politicians. Although Hamas has said it does not oppose the idea of technocrats in the government, it would not agree to the entire cabinet being formed of technocrats.

National unity talks between the two sides have reached an impasse after several months of deliberations even though both sides deny that the talks have come to a complete standstill. According to government spokesperson Ghazi Hamad, Hamas is not opposed to a national unity government in principle but has yet to agree with Fateh on the political platform. Hamas has said repeatedly that it will not recognize Israel or renounce armed resistance as long as the Palestinians continue to live under Israeli military occupation. The Islamic movement has, however, made considerable ideological concessions by saying it would agree to the establishment of a Palestinian state on all the territories occupied in the 1967 War. Since its inception, Hamas has advocated the establishment of a Palestinian state on all of historical Palestine.

The expected Cairo meeting follows statements made by President Abbas in which he insinuated that if he deems it necessary, he will use his presidential authorities to dissolve the government and put the issue of holding early elections to a national referendum. Should this occur, the government would be dissolved and elections would be held as early as the end of next year. Interior Minister, Hamas-affiliated Said Siyam warned that any referendum on holding early elections would be tantamount to a coup against the government. Siyam made his statements in Cairo, the last stint of his trip, which also included Syria and Iran.

Meanwhile, Israeli Infrastructure Minister Benjamin Ben Eliezer is currently in Cairo meeting with Egyptian President Husni Mubarak to discuss the Palestinian situation and ways to secure the release of Shalit.