RIYADH, Oct 22: Hamas politburo leader Khaled Meshal reportedly on a visit to Saudi Arabia for Umrah, will be meeting Saudi and other Arab leaders mediating in the current row between Hamas and Fatah, in an effort to end the internal crisis within the Palestinian Authority. Mr Meshal currently lives in Damascus and is on the target list of Israel.

According to a report in the Saudi Al Watan newspaper, Arab countries are working towards resolving the issues in the hope of formation of a coalition government of the Palestinian Authority. Most of the pro-western Arab governments have been pressurising Hamas to recognise Israel. They are under immense political and financial pressure to recognise the Saudi peace plan adopted by the Arab League, implicitly recognising the state of Israel.

Some Hamas leaders are bitter that the Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh has not been invited for a visit by any of the Arab government, with the exception of Qatar.