By IANS,
Cairo : Palentine’s two biggest factions – Fatah and Hamas – formally adopted a reconciliation agreement Wednesday in Cairo, CNN quoted Egytian state TV as saying.
While Fatah is a West Bank-based group, the Islamist group Hamas rules Gaza.
Speaking at a formal signing ceremony, Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas declared that the parties “will forever turn the page on factionalism” and thanked Egypt for it’s role in mediating the deal.
Hamas leader Khaled Meshaal said the parties had worked tirelessly to reach an accord and promised Palestinians that the parties “will turn a new page” and work together.
The agreement was initially signed by the parties Tuesday.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, meanwhile, called on the Palestinian Authority to pull out of the deal, saying it would jeopardise the Middle East peace process.
“What happened today in Cairo is a tremendous blow to peace and a great victory for terrorism,” he said Wednesday.
Both Israel and the US consider Hamas a terrorist organisation and have voiced strong opposition to the inclusion of the group in any unity government, demanding that it first renounce violence, recognise the state of Israel and abide by all previous agreements.
Netanyahu is scheduled to meet with leaders in London and Paris this week to convince the international community not to recognise any Palestinian government that might include Hamas.