Palestinian factions agree to hold general election by the end of 2018

The call for elections was made in a joint statement at the end of two days of closed-door talks attended by representatives of 13 leading political parties.

The factions also praised the unity deal aimed at ending a long-running dispute between Fatah and Hamas.
AFP

The factions also praised the unity deal aimed at ending a long-running dispute between Fatah and Hamas.

Palestinian factions said on Wednesday they agreed on the need to hold elections by the end of 2018 and praised the unity deal aimed at ending a long-running dispute between Fatah and Hamas.

The call for elections was made in a joint statement at the end of two days of closed-door talks in Cairo attended by representatives of 13 leading political parties.

Hamas and Fatah signed a reconciliation deal in October in Egypt-backed talks, after Hamas agreed to hand over administrative control of Gaza, including the key Rafah border crossing, a decade after seizing the enclave in a civil war.

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The Palestinian groups in Cairo said they would defer the choice of a final date for the general election to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

The Western-backed mainstream Fatah party lost control of Gaza to Hamas in fighting in 2007. But last month Hamas agreed to cede powers in Gaza to President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah-backed government.

The statement did not mention whether Hamas and Fatah have reached a detailed agreement on security responsibilities in the enclave, which has so far remained in the hands of Hamas-backed security services.

The factions did, however, call on Abbas to end sanctions that have been imposed on the impoverished enclave. They have included power cuts and salary reductions of 30 percent to some 60,000 Gazans employed by his Palestinian Authority.

Abbas said previously he would lift the sanctions upon assuming control of Gaza. 

Palestinian and international leaders hope implementation of the unity deal could help ease the hardships of Gaza's two million residents, who suffer from severe poverty and unemployment.

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