Hamas and Fatah, the leading Palestinian political parties, have agreed to form a unity government after intense negotiations in Russia’s capital, Moscow.
The three-day meetings were negotiated by the Ramallah-based Fatah, and Hamas and Islamic Jihad that are based in the Gaza Strip, Al-Masdar News reported.
“We have reached agreement under which, within 48 hours, we will call on Mahmoud Abbas to launch consultations on the creation of a government,” Fatah official Azzam al-Ahmad told a press conference.
Abbas is president of the Palestinian Authority and belongs to Fatah.
Mousa Abu Marzouk, the deputy chairman of Hamas’ political bureau, also described a unity government as “the most effective tool” to address divisions among Palestinian groups.
“It is responsible for promoting the solutions, including the holding of free and democratic elections in the West Bank and Gaza Strip,” he said.
“If Fatah or Hamas compromise in order to achieve Palestinian unity, this is not considered as a compromise by any means. The concept and reality of unity, when this happen between all Palestinian sides, this is a win and not a loss for all sides. Everybody will win.”
Fatah and Hamas have been bitter rivals ever since Hamas won a landslide victory in the 2006 Palestinian elections.
Caption: Abed al-Hafeez Nofal (L), the Palestinian ambassador to Moscow, and exiled Hamas deputy leader, Mousa Abu Marzouk, meet in Moscow on Jan. 17.
