Fatah, Hamas Agree To Form National Government Within 3 Months

The two Palestinian rival groups, Fatah and Hamas, have agreed here on Tuesday to form a national unity government within three months, Egyptian official news agency MENA reported.

The leaders of Fatah and Hamas, who met in Egypt to resume their reconciliation dialogue, “have agreed to form a national consensus government according to Doha declaration within three months,” Azzam el-Ahmed, head of Fatah’s delegation to the dialogue, was quoted by MENA as saying.

The Fatah top official added that the period will give Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas enough time to issue two decrees, one for setting the election date and another for forming the national government.

During a press conference following the meeting between Fatah and Hamas, Azzam asserted both groups are confident about Egypt’s sponsorship of the reconciliation dialogue.

In the meantime, Musa Abu Marzooq, a senior Hamas member, said the solely sponsor for the Palestinian reconciliation file is Egypt, adding “we don’t oppose any Arab role or assistance.”

“We will witness soon an end for the Palestinian division, and real a reconciliation on ground,” he added.

“From now on, we will tackle all the unresolved issues to form a government and run the Palestinian elections in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Jerusalem and abroad at the same time,” he went on saying, “a draft on the national council elections will be finished within two weeks.”

Xinhuanet