The agreement signed on Wednesday, April 23, 2014, between the delegation of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) and the Hamas movement, calls for forming a unity government, implementing the Cairo and Doha agreements, and holding general elections within six months.After reaching an agreement in this regard, both Hamas and PLO officials, members of different factions, held a press conference in Gaza City, declaring they will start implementing all reconciliation measures.
Head of the Hamas-led government in the Gaza Strip, Ismael Haniyya, then read a statement that includes all components in the signed agreement.
The recent agreement came following two days of extensive talks that were described as positive. It includes the following main points;
1. Full implementation of the unity agreements previously signed in Doha and Cairo as the core base for reconciliation and unity.
2. President Abbas would instantly start talks on forming a transitional National Unity Government, a government that would be declared within five weeks, as agreed upon, and would be based on the Doha and Cairo Declarations.
3. Elections; the agreement affirms holding parallel Legislative, Presidential and National Council elections, on a date that would be decided by Abbas after holding talks with all factions.
The elections would be held at least six months after the transitional unity government is formed. Preparations would be discussed during the upcoming meeting of the committee in charge of reforming the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO).
4. The PLO; an agreement was reached to reform, reactivate and develop the PLO within five weeks, so that it can perform its duties and continue to hold meetings with all factions as planned.
5. Social Reconciliation Committee; the committee, and its subsidiary committees, would immediately start their duties as per signed agreements within five weeks, and would continue to hold scheduled meetings as planned.
6. Freedoms Committee; implementing the Public Freedoms File agreed upon as part of the Cairo Agreement, and to resume its activities in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip to ensure the resumption and continuation of its work, and the implementation its decisions.
6. The Legislative Council; implementing all related agreements to allow it to perform its duties.
The delegates thanked Egypt for its role in supervising unity talks and agreements, affirmed their commitment to unity, and stressed on the importance of Arab mediation and support to ensure a comprehensive implementation of the reconciliation agreement.
Member of the Central Committee of the Fateh Movement, head of the Fateh Delegation, Azzam al-Ahmad, thanked Ismail Haniyya for his efforts to ensure national unity, and thanked all political leaders, and independent figures, for their willingness and efforts to reach this goal.
Al-Ahmad said he hopes this agreement will be a starting point for a real national unity, based on partnership between all factions, intellectuals and independent figures in Palestine.
