Palestinians sign agreement on forming national unity government
9/2/2007 16:07
Leaders of Palestinian rival Fatah and Hamas movements signed an agreement
in Mecca yesterday night on forming a national unity government aimed at ending
infighting and lifting international siege.
Palestinian President and Fatah
leader Mahmoud Abbas and the ruling Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas)'s chief
Khaled Mashaal signed the agreement following three days of intensive and
marathon dialogues held in Saudi Arabia.
The agreement consists of four major
points. The first is a prohibition of shedding the Palestinian blood (ending all
kinds of fighting), the second is formation of a national unity
government.
The third and fourth points in the agreement are related to the
formation of Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) and also manifesting the
political partnership among all Palestinian powers and factions.
Abbas' media
advisor Nabil Amr read the agreement ahead of the signature in the ceremony
attended by Saudi King Saudi King Abdullah Ibn Abdul-Aziz and Saudi
officials.
"We reached a final agreement on forming a national unity
government, and we agreed to start soon constitutional measures to form it as
soon as the leaders of the two movements get back to the Palestinian
territories," Amr said.
Abbas asked current Prime Minister Ismail Haneya to
form the new government, according to a letter of designation read out by
Amr.
"After reading the Palestinian basic law, I (Abbas) designates you
(Haneya) to form the upcoming Palestinian government within a certain period of
time, then to be approved by the president and by the Palestinian parliament,"
said Abbas' letter of designation.
"I call you to be committed to the highest
interests of the Palestinian people and protect their rights according to the
decisions of the previous National Council and the Arab summits," Abbas
said.
He also called on Haneya to "respect the legitimate international
resolutions and the agreements that Palestine Liberation Organization had
signed."
Hamas, calling for the destruction of Israel, took the rein of the
Palestinian government last March after defeating long- dominant Fatah movement
in last legislative elections.
But Hamas-led government has been isolated by
the international community because it refused to renounce violence, recognize
Israel and respect previous peace accords, three demands rolled out by the
Quartet on the Middle East comprising the UN, the EU, the US and Russia.
Xinhua
|
