Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal (L) and PA President Mahmoud Abbas. Photo: Jewish Policy Center.

Talks between Fatah and Hamas earlier this week accomplished little as the parties failed to reach any agreement, a top Islamic Jihad official told Ma’an News Agency Thursday.

Abu Imad al-Rifaei, the Islamist terror group’s representative in a committee preparing for national elections, told Ma’an that the talks focused on the makeup of the Palestinian Legislative Council and the Palestinian National Council. He said neither Fatah nor Hamas seemed serious about implementing a reconciliation deal, and blasted the talks as a “waste of time.”

Al-Rifaei also said that he doubts that elections were on the horizon but he said if they took place, Islamic Jihad would field candidates for the national council and PLO executive committee.

Al-Rifaei also denounced Israel’s alleged strike in early May on a Syrian weapons facility. He said that Islamic Jihad stands by any country facing Israeli action and will respond as it sees fit.