Palestinian Unity Deal Hits Snag: Abbas
The Palestinian reconciliation deal between Fatah, headed by Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, and Hamas has broken down.
“Unity is frozen,” Abbas said from Baghdad, where he is attending the Arab League summit, the Palestinian Ma’an news agency reported.
Abbas said he and Hamas leader Khalid Mashaal agree “on the vision and objectives and conditions in full,” but that some Hamas leaders have not accepted the agreement signed last May in Cairo.
“The ball is now in Hamas’ court,” Abbas said, according to Ma’an.
Hamas is the ruling power in Gaza.
Under the agreement, the rival factions would form a unity government in preparation for popular elections. Ma’an reported that the deal was frozen when Hamas leaders in Gaza rejected the joint decision that Abbas would serve as prime minister of the new unity government.
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