Fatah, Hamas agree to form unity government

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Fatah, Hamas agree to form unity government

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The leaders of Fatah and Hamas sign a deal in Qatar to form a unity government.

07 February,2012 06:13 am

The leaders of rival Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas on Monday signed a deal in Qatar to form a unity government of independent technocrats for the West Bank and Gaza, headed by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.The move, following the failure of exploratory Israeli-Palestinian talks aimed at reviving stalled peace negotiations, was condemned by Israel, which says the Islamist Hamas cannot be part of any peace efforts.The accord signed by President Mahmoud Abbas and Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal is supposed to pave the way for Palestinian presidential and parliamentary election possibly later this year, and to rebuild the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip following a 2008-2009 Israeli offensive against Hamas.It was not known whether the deal would be implemented. No timetable was set. A reconciliation pact Fatah and Hamas struck in May 2011 has had little substantive result but both sides said they were serious about carrying out the new accord.Abbas Palestinian Authority supports a negotiated peace with Israel that would give Palestinians an independent state in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and in Gaza, co-existing alongside the Jewish state.Meshaals Hamas is officially sworn to the destruction of Israel but is open to an indefinite ceasefire.Meshaal took Hamas by surprise in December by announcing he would not seek to extend his leadership when an internal election is held in March. Analysts said his resignation was more likely to be a back-me-or-sack-me ploy to reassert his control in order to soften Hamas policies in line with Abbas.Fatah and Hamas have been bitter rivals since the Islamist movement seized control of Gaza in a brief war in 2007 and expelled Abbas Fatah-led Palestinian Authority.Mondays deal provided for a government of independent technocrats to oversee preparations for elections later this year. A vote had been mooted in May but the Palestinian election commission says more time will be needed.Abbas and Meshaal, who signed the deal billed as the Doha Declaration in the presence of Qatari Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, pledged to ensure quick implementation.In a news conference following the signing, Qatars Emir praised both Fatah and Hamas for bringing unity to the Palestinian territories.The declaration is a good evidence of the determination of Fatah and Hamas movements to bring cohesion to the political Palestinian body and we in Qatar firmly believe in the faithful intention and determination showcased on part of the brothers in Fatah and Hamas for overcoming all obstacles. he said.While Abbas said the signing of the agreement was for the right intentions and not just for the media to see.I would like to add on the occasion that we didnt sign it (agreement) for the sake of signing or for publicity and media. We signed it aiming to implement it in order to organise elections, elect a government, and to reach internal reconciliation regardless of the difficulties that we faceAnd Hamas leader Kahel Mashaal added that signing the agreement was a sign that the two Palestinian organisations were keen to end their differences for the good of Palestinians everywhere.