Hamas and Fatah agree to push forward with reconciliation

Palestinian leaders Khaled Meshaal (l) and Mahmoud Abbas are all smiles after talks A member of Fatah's central committee has confirmed that Hamas and Fatah have reached an agreement to push forward with reconciliation efforts. Speaking after a meeting in Cairo, Azzam al-Ahmad told reporters that Fatah will re-activate the Central Elections Committee in the Gaza Strip after consultations to form a government.
He also revealed that a joint committee meeting between Hamas and Fatah to put together a timetable for the implementation of agreements will be held next week.
On Wednesday night, President Mahmoud Abbas met Khaled Meshaal and Hamas delegates in Cairo to hold talks about reconciliation.
Al-Azzam added, "we agreed to call a meeting of the committee to activate and develop the PLO in the Gaza Strip, early next month."
He emphasised the importance of pushing through with implementation efforts on all fronts, stressing that "we do not need any new agreements." He also dismissed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's remarks in which he denounced the meeting. Al-azzam said, "we meet as Palestinians and don’t care about Netanyahu’s opinions."
Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi's spokesman Yasser Ali announced that an agreement sponsored by Egypt had been reached between Fatah and Hamas leaders in Cairo, regarding the immediate commencement of implementation procedures.
Ali explained that the Fatah delegation includes Saeb Erekat, a member of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organisation and Nabil Abu Rudeina, spokesman for the Palestinian presidency. The Hamas delegation included Moussa Abu Marzouk, Izzat al-Rishq, Khalil al-Hayya and Nizar Abdullah.