GAZA/RAMALLAH, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- The premiers of the two Palestinian governments, Salam Fayyad in the West Bank and Ismail Haneya in Gaza, on Monday welcomed an agreement reached between President Mahmoud Abbas and Hamas chief Khaled Meshaal in Qatar on forming a unified transitional government.
Fayyad, a veteran economist and prime minister of the caretaker Palestinian government in the West Bank, said in a press statement emailed to reporters that he welcomes the signed Doha agreement, and expressed hope that "the deal will be implemented soon."
"We hope that the Doha declaration and what had been agreed upon is to be implemented very soon, including the formation of the new government headed by President Abbas, holding the Palestinian elections and end the status of internal division once and forever," said Fayyad.
Haneya, the deposed premier of Hamas government which rules the Gaza Strip, who is currently visiting Bahrain, said in a press statement emailed to reporters that he blesses the Doha agreement, asserting that his government is ready to start implementing the agreement immediately.
The Doha-based al-Jazeera satellite channel reported live and showed both Abbas and Meshaal signing on a 4-chapter deal in Doha, with the presence of Qatari princes and officials.
The signed deal included continuing the reforms in Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), reforming the parliament of the PLO in exile the Palestinian National Council (PNC), and holding its elections at the same time with the legislative and presidential elections.
Abbas and Meshaal also agreed to hold a second meeting of the temporary committee to reform the PLO in Egypt's capital Cairo on Feb. 18 to reactivate the PLO and allow other factions, mainly Hamas, the Islamic Jihad and minor factions to join the highest representative of the Palestinian people all over the world.
According to the deal, the two sides agreed to form a transitional unity government of technocrats which will be led by President Abbas. The goal of the new unity government for both Gaza and the West Bank will be to prepare for holding elections and reconstruction of the Gaza Strip.
In May last year, Abbas and Meshaal signed on an Egyptian- brokered pact of reconciliation. However, the implementation of the pact was obstructed due to differences on the new prime minister of the transitional government. The Palestinian factions also agreed to hold general elections on May 4, 2012.
"We didn't sign the agreement for the sake of signing, we signed the agreement for the sake of implementation," Abbas said at the ceremony of signing the new agreement. "We hope that our efforts will lead to the immediate implementation of the agreement. "
Meshaal, meanwhile, said "I honestly say, we are very much serious, Hamas, Fatah and all other factions are to turn the page of internal division and empower reconciliation on the ground in all fields," adding "We want to devote our efforts to confront the enemy (Israel) and finalize our project of liberation."
Nabil Shaath, a senior official in Abbas' Fatah Party, told Xinhua that the real formation of the new national unity government will be before the middle of this month, adding "the understandings reached today in Doha asserted that the new government will be formed before Feb. 15."
"During this week, President Abbas will start his consultations on forming the new government and choosing the names of his cabinet's members," Shaath said.
The internal Palestinian division began in the summer of 2007, when Hamas militias violently seized control of the Gaza Strip and routed President Abbas' security forces. In response, Abbas deposed the unity government of Ismail Haneya and assigned Fayyad to form a new government.
"Signing today's agreement on forming a new unity government is practically ending the status of having two separated governments in the West Bank and Gaza Strip," Shaath said, adding "it is a positive sign that President Abbas will chair the new unity government and will help to implement all the deals."
Abbas-Meshaal agreement was reached following three intensive meetings held between them in Doha over the past 24 hours under the supervision of Qatari Prince Khalifa Ben Hamad al-Thani. The deal will apparently help the two rival sides end the ongoing division.
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