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Hamas, Fatah agreement on government

Atul Aneja

Haniyeh regime to go in 48 hours

DUBAI: Sinking their differences, the Palestinian militant group Hamas and Fatah have agreed on the formation of a national unity government. Palestinian President and senior Fatah leader Mahmoud Abbas announced on Monday that an agreement with Hamas on the formation of a new government had been reached.

Hamas has confirmed Mr. Abbas' statement. Mr. Abbas is expected to dissolve the existing Hamas led-government within the next 48 hours, his spokesman said.

Earlier, Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh had said his talks with Mr. Abbas had been progressing well. Despite winning parliamentary elections and forming the Government, Hamas has been facing an international aid boycott and political isolation because it has not formally renounced violence and recognised Israel.

The Hamas' stance over Israel, therefore, was one of the key topics for discussion among the Palestinian groups.

The British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, who visited Ramallah on Sunday also said a unity government that recognised

Israel could end the aid boycott. Rejecting Mr. Blair's suggestion, Sami Abu Zuhri, spokesman for Hamas said his group was willing to form a unity government, but "not according to conditions that are dictated."

Resumption of aid to the Palestinian territories has become critical, according to a senior United Nations official.

"The strangulation of commerce and trade has ruined the economy, it has brought the institutions of government to a point of near-meltdown and badly shaken the society," Karen Abuzayd, head of the U.N. Relief and Works Agency, said.

Mr. Abu Zuhri signalled that dialogue with Fatah on sharing leadership slots in a future unity government had made headway.

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