Report: Fatah and Hamas agree to form unity government within 5 weeks

Fatah delegation to Gaza meets with Hamas leaders; Haniyeh: The current circumstances do not allow further separation of the factions.

By YASSER OKBI
Ismail Haniyeh on a chair, looking expressive 370 (photo credit: REUTERS)
Ismail Haniyeh on a chair, looking expressive 370
(photo credit: REUTERS)
Fatah and Hamas have agreed to form a unity government within five weeks, Al Jazeera reported Wednesday.
According to the report, the agreement was reached during a Tuesday meeting between a Fatah delegation to Gaza led by Azzam al-Ahmad and Hamas leaders, including Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh and senior official Musa Abu Marzouk.
Al Jazeera quoted Haniyeh as telling the Fatah delegation that "the possibility for further separation between the two movements is no longer possible given the current circumstances."
The reconciliation talks between the factions were scheduled to continue on Wednesday.
Previous agreements to form unity governments between the factions have failed to bear fruit.
Prior to leaving for Gaza, Fatah's Ahmed said: “We are going to the Gaza Strip not to make new proposals but to end the division.”
The two sides were also discussing details of potential presidential elections, parliamentary elections and the reconstruction of the PLO.