Wednesday, May 04, 2011

Palestinian factions, in Cairo, sign unity accord

JERUSALEM–Fatah and Hamas formalized their agreement to halt a four-year rift at a ceremony in Cairo on Wednesday, raising hopes of an end to a split that left Palestinians under rival governments in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

“We announce to our Palestinian people that we turn forever the black page of division," said Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, who leads Fatah,adding that he soon will visit Hamas-ruled Gaza.

The start of the ceremony at the headquarters of Egypt’s intelligence agency, which followed a signing of the accord by delegation leaders from both sides, was held up for hours in a protocol dispute.

A Palestinian official told Reuters news agency that there was disagreement over whether the leader of Hamas, Khaled Mashal, would sit with delegation members on the podium or with Abbas. In the end, Mashal sat with the delegations.

Fatah's agreement with Hamas, a militant Islamist group whose charter calls for Israel’s destruction, has drawn warnings from Israel and stirred concern in Washington that the accord could undermine peace efforts. Both the U.S. and Israel consider Hamas, which has carried out suicide bombings and fired rockets from Gaza into Israel, a terrorist organization.

But the signing set off small celebrations in the West Bank city of Ramallah and in Gaza City, where young Palestinians shouted: “Fatah and Hamas, one hand!,” and “National unity!” The demonstrators held Palestinian flags and the banners of both factions.
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