Palestine: Fatah, Hamas reach agreement on reconciliation

Thursday April 28, 2011 08:28:23 AM, IANS

Cairo: Palestinian rivals Fatah and Hamas Wednesday signed a preliminary agreement on reconciliation during talks in Cairo, a step which paves the way for the formation of an interim government to prepare for elections, Xinhua reported.

The Palestinian movements of Fatah and Hamas reached an agreement on all controversial issues including the elections and the formation of the interim government, Egypt's state MENA news agency quoted senior Egyptian officials as saying.

"We have agreed to form a government composed of independent figures that would start preparing for presidential and parliamentary elections," said Chairman of Fatah parliamentary bloc Azzam al-Ahmed, adding elections will be held within one year.

The interim government will be responsible for the internal issues while the interim committee for Palestinian fractions will deal with foreign affairs, Hamas leader Mahmoud Al-Zahar told Nile TV.

"It is the time to gain the fruits of the negotiations and reach agreement between Fatah and Hamas," said Moussa Abou Marzouq, deputy chairman of the political bureau of Hamas, in a joint press conference of both parties' representatives.

"We have handled all the controversial remarks regarding the Egyptian proposal like the date of elections and the election committee, forming a government of independents, and resumption of the legislative council work," Marzouq added.

A source told Xinhua that Egypt will invite Palestinian National Authority (PNA) President Mahmoud Abbas, Hamas chief Khaled Mashaal and other Palestinian factions to Cairo within a week to sign the final agreement which aims at ending the political split between the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip and the West Bank ruled by the Fatah-led PNA.

Al-Ahmed noted that there had been undeclared Egyptian efforts that helped the two sides reach the initial agreement.

Egypt has officially sponsored talks between the two factions who came to Egypt Tuesday in a bid to unite all the Palestinian fractions.

The preliminary agreement is sought to end the long-running political split between Abbas' Fatah group and its bitter rival the Islamic Hamas movement.
 

                                           Home | Top of the Page

Top Stories

PAC on 2G:

Manmohan gets clean chit, PMO in dock

A parliamentary panel in its draft report on the 2G spectrum case has given a clean chit to Manmohan Singh but criticised the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) for delaying   »

What is the 2G spectrum scam about?

Kanimozhi, four others co-accused in 2G spectrum case

  Most Read

Lobsang Sangay elected new Tibetan PM-in-exile

US-based Lobsang Sangay, a 42-year-old who considers India his second home after Tibet, was Wednesday elected the new Kalon Tripa, or the Tibetan prime minister-in-exile. Sangay, a senior fellow of Harvard Law School   »

Sathya Sai Baba: A village boy who became demi god

Government offers free vocational coaching to minority students

The government is offering students from minority communities free coaching for admission in various technical and professional courses like IT and business management. The other courses included in the scheme under the Prime Minister's 15-Point Programme for the welfare  »

  News Pick

Bhagwan Satya Sai: Faith Marginalizes Reason

The death of Satya Sai Baba, April 24th 2011, has created a big turmoil  »

Sathya Sai Baba: A village boy who became demi god

White House releases Obama's birth certificate

The White House Wednesday morning showed reporters a copy of President Barack Obama's birth certificate and also posted a copy on its official   »

Court stays Air India pilots' strike that grounded 50 flights

The Delhi High Court Wednesday stayed the flash strike by 600 pilots of Air India who were co-opted from the erstwhile Indian Airlines but not before slamming the management for not addressing  »

How much do striking pilots earn?

Hasina wants Islam as Bangladesh state religion

Bangladesh's ruling Awami League would like to retain Islam as the state religion but wants all religions to enjoy equal rights, Prime Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said. In a reversal of a policy laid down by her late father, Sheikh   »

Guess who's praising Modi? Goa Congress leader!

Congress leaders always cry foul over Narendra Modi, but the Gujarat chief minister has found high praise from a senior party official in Goa -- that too on Facebook. State Congress general secretary Vishnu Wagh's comments praising   »

Picture of the Day

Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari with the students, at the 30th Convocation of the Institute of Rural Management, in Anand, Gujarat on April 26, 2011.

(Photo: Manoj)