Palestinian President Reports Agreement on Unity Government
11 September 2006
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas says an agreement has been reached with Hamas to form a unity government.
The head of the Fatah party said Monday in Gaza City the agreement was reached after meetings with Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, who is the prime minister.
Earlier, the prime minister said he had made progress in talks with President Abbas on forming a unity government.
Mr. Haniyeh said Sunday he expects to keep his post as prime minister in a unity government. Palestinians hope formation of such a coalition will persuade Western nations to lift economic sanctions imposed when Hamas came to power six months ago.
It remains unclear whether Hamas will accept international demands to renounce violence, recognize Israel and honor past agreements by the Palestinian Authority.
Separately, an Israeli court has convicted a Jewish settler from the West Bank of murdering four Palestinians last year in an attempt to derail Israel's withdrawal from Gaza.
A court in Jerusalem heard that the man deliberately shot four Palestinians to death at close range. All the victims worked at the same factory as their killer, in the Shilo settlement.
An Israeli human rights group says Israeli security forces in the West Bank have failed to properly investigate Palestinian complaints of violence by Jewish settlers.
The group says 90 percent of Palestinian complaints filed in 2005 were closed without charges being filed.
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