Hamas, Fatah to set up ‘unity govt’: Move aimed at ending isolation
GAZA, Sept 11: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas reached a deal with Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas on Monday to form a unity government the Palestinians hope will end their international isolation and revive aid.
But the Hamas group said it would never recognise Israel, raising immediate questions over whether a unity coalition would satisfy western demands for lifting sanctions.
Israel gave a guarded welcome to the agreement, but said the new administration must meet international demands and secure the release of the Israeli soldier captured in June.
Foreign ministry spokesman Mark Regev said provided the new government recognises Israel’s right to exist, ‘renounces violence’ and accepts previous peace agreements, and also gets the soldier freed, the stalled Middle East peace process could resume.
“This would give very positive momentum and re-energise the Israeli-Palestinian dialogue and put the peace process back on track,” Mr Regev said.
“Anything short of that would lead to more stagnation that is not in Israel’s interest nor in the Palestinians’ interest.”
Announcing the agreement, Mahmud Abbas said on Palestine TV with Mr Haniyeh sitting next to him: “We have finalised the elements of the political agenda of the national unity government ... Hopefully, in the coming few days we will begin forming the government of national unity.”
Mr Abbas would decree the existing Hamas-led government a caretaker administration within 48 hours, an aide said. Hamas officials said they wanted Mr Haniyeh to head the unity cabinet.
Palestinians hope the creation of a unity administration will lead to the lifting of a western aid embargo imposed after Hamas took power in March.
The United States and the European Union have said they would work with such a government only if it met their three conditions for restoring aid — recognising Israel, ‘renouncing violence’ and accepting past interim peace deals.
The moderate Abbas, in Gaza where he announced the deal, gave no details on the political agenda of the unity government.
Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said it would be based on a document the Islamists and Mr Abbas agreed in June, which fell short of western and Israeli demands.
That document stemmed from a manifesto drafted by Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails which hinted at recognition of Israel by calling for a Palestinian state on land captured by the Jewish state in the 1967 war.—Reuters
