Alwaght- The two main Palestinian fractions, Hamas and Fatah, have agreed on forming a new unity government after a series of negotiations in Russia.
The agreement was reached on Tuesday after three days of negotiations among representatives from Ramallah-based Fatah as well as Hamas and Islamic Jihad, both headquartered in the Gaza Strip, and other factions.
The negotiations are brokered by Russia that is part of the West Asia Peace Quartet, along with the United States, the European Union and the United Nations.
“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, who leads Fatah, will be carrying out the consultations in his capacity as the president of the Palestinian Authority (PA).
Moussa Abu Marzouk, the deputy chairman of Hamas’ political bureau, also described the 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.”
Fatah and Hamas have been at odds ever since the latter scored a landslide victory in Palestinian elections in 2006. Hamas governs the Gaza Strip, while Fatah has set up offices in the West Bank.
The factions agreed in April 2014 to end their grievances and reconcile. The move drew the Israeli officials’ ire, and the Tel Aviv regime consequently responded by suspending the so-called peace talks with the PA.
