Palestinian Authority (PA) leader and Fatah chief Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) and Syrian President Bashar el-Assad were scheduled to meet on Sunday in Damascus. Among other issues, it is to be a precursor to the upcoming peace talks, in Cairo, between the rival Islamist terrorist gangs Fatah and Hamas.

Arabic-language newspaper Al-Sharq Al-Awsat reported Sunday that the Fatah leader will ask Assad to pressure Hamas leaders to reach an arrangement in the matter.