Hamas/Fatah

          The leader of the Islamist group Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, threatened on Friday to boycott reconciliation talks with the rival Fatah group unless his supporters detained in the West Bank were released. The two dominant Palestinian groups accuse each other of carrying out political arrests that have crippled Egyptian efforts to broker a deal to restore political unity and boost prospects for a resumption of peace-making with Israel. Israel and Egypt have virtually sealed Gaza's borders since a violent Hamas takeover of the territory in June 2007. Few Gazans are permitted to leave Gaza via Erez. They include medical patients with severe illnesses and business people. However, Israel has granted permits to nearly all the Fatah delegates from Gaza, in a gesture of support for Abbas. Israel has also permitted scores of Fatah delegates from the diaspora to enter the West Bank, said Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat. "It is really shameful that the big question mark is about delegates coming from Gaza," he said. (10,03)