CAIRO: Rival Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas, Wednesday proclaimed a landmark, Egyptian-mediated reconciliation pact aimed at ending their bitter four-year rift. The declaration was made at a ceremony at the Egyptian intelligence headquarters in Cairo. Western-backed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said the accord ended “four black years” that hurt national Palestinian interests. He also said he would “soon” visit Hamas-held Gaza Strip. The pact provides for the creation of a joint caretaker Palestinian government ahead of national elections next year, but leaves key issues unresolved and makes no mention of peace talks with Israel. Israel denounced the pact in advance of the Cairo ceremony, because of the militant Hamas' long history of attacks against Israeli targets, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday the reconciliation deal is “a tremendous blow to peace”. Abbas rejected Israel's opposition to the pact, saying the reconciliation with the militant Islamic group was an internal Palestinian affair. “They are our brothers and family. We may differ, and we often do, but we still arrive at a minimum level of understanding,” Abbas said of Hamas. And in a message to Israel, Abbas added: “We reject blackmail and it is no longer possible for us to accept the occupation of Palestinian land.” Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal also addressed the ceremony, saying his group was prepared to do anything to “translate the text of the pact to facts on the ground. Our battle is with the Israeli enemy and not with Palestinian factions.” The reconciliation deal is designed to unify the dueling Palestinian governments that emerged after Hamas wrested control of Gaza from security forces loyal to Abbas in June 2007 and left his Fatah controlling only the West Bank. — AgenciesMain points of the unity deal To form a Palestinian government made up of independent figures. To hold elections to the Palestinian Legislative Council, the presidency and the Palestinian National Council. To agree on the makeup of a committee to oversee polls. To form, through consensus, a “supreme security council”. To reconvene the Palestinian Legislative Council. To free political prisoners held by the rival administrations in Gaza and the West Bank. __
