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If Hamas and Fatah achieve reconciliation, they willadvance the Palestinians' political developmentand ensure peace in the Middle East.

The two most influential Palestinianpolitical organizations-Fatah andHamas-signed an agreement onMarch 23 to resume their reconcili-ation negotiations in April. But they didnot reach a consensus on carrying out theYemen Initiative proposed by YemeniPresident Ali Abdullah Saleh that calls forthem to end their dispute and sign a peaceagreement. The reason that the two par-ties could sit together and talk was becauseArab countries, especially Yemen, mediatedthe discussions. Previously, at Saleh's invi-tation, the two parties had negotiated forfive days in the Yemeni capital Sanaa andagreed to start the reconciliation processonce again.