Hamas and Fatah, the leading Palestinian political parties, have agreed to form a unity government after intense three day negotiations in Russia’s capital of Moscow.
The three day meetings were negotiated by primarily from the Ramallah-based Fatah, and Hamas and Islamic Jihad who are headquartered in the Gaza Strip
“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.
Moussa 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, adding that “it is responsible to promote the solutions, including the holding of free and democratic elections in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.”
“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,” added the Hamas official.
Fatah and Hamas have been bitter rivals ever since Hamas won a landslide victory in the 2006 Palestinian elections.
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