A week after Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas dropped a bombshell on Hamas in the form of an ultimatum to accept the National Reconciliation Document or face a decision in a national referendum, talks between Fatah and the ruling Hamas on a compromise solution appear to have faltered.
Two days before the deadline set by Abbas, it appears that the chairman himself is not in a hurry to reach a compromise with the Hamas.
On Monday he departed for a three-day visit to Tunis, leaving behind Hamas and Fatah accusing each other of trying to foil the talks.
Hamas officials, who were surprised by the document (also called the prisoners' document) - it accepts the creation of a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders and calls for accepting the 2002 Beirut Declaration in which Arab states agree to recognize Israel if it withdraws from lands occupied since 1967 - have tried to evade the threat of a referendum, arguing that there is neither legal basis nor financial resources for it.
When it became clear to Hamas officials that the man chosen by Abbas to represent Fatah in the talks over the document is Yasser Abed Rabbo, the person many believe is behind the referendum idea, the attacks became personal. For example, Abed Rabbo was charged with being 'responsible for giving up the right of return in the Geneva Accord,' and that disqualified him from participating in the dialogue.
For his part, Abed Rabbo said that irrespective of whether Fatah and Hamas agree, a national referendum should be held on the document and could include Palestinians in the diaspora.
Hamas is concerned that Abbas is not really interested in a genuine dialogue and is trying to bypass the Hamas government on diplomatic policy.
Nonetheless, Hamas has indicated to Fatah that it may be willing to make amendments to its political agenda on the issue, in an effort to avert being bypassed by Abbas.