Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas will head a Fatah-Hamas unity caretaker cabinet, Abbas and Hamas chief Khaled Meshal said in a joint announcement on Monday, in a move that could pave for a long-sought-after reconciliation between the rival factions.

“We are serious, both Fatah and Hamas, in healing the wounds and ending the chapter of division and reinforcing and accomplishing reconciliation,” Meshal said in remarks televised live by Al Jazeera from Qatar.

He said the Palestinians wanted to accomplish unity and move forward “to resist the enemy [Israel] and achieve our national goal.”

Abbas, head of the secular Fatah organization, promised that this effort will be implemented in the shortest time possible”.

The Doha Agreement stipulates that the unity caretaker government will be composed of non-affiliated technocrats, and its mission will be to start Gaza’s rehabilitation and to prepare for a general Palestinian election for both president and parliament.

A second meeting between the two Palestinian leaders has been set to February 18 in Cairo, where Abbas and Meshal will be expected to set the date for the upcoming vote.

For more, go to haaretz.com

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