Palestine: Political Factions to Meet in Cairo for Reconciliation Talks
Local Editor
Leading Palestinian political factions are to gather in Cairo on Tuesday to push ahead with reconciliation efforts, including discussing the formation of a unity government.
Representatives of 13 political parties arrived in the Egyptian capital on Monday ahead of talks that are expected to last three days, participants said.
The United Nations said the reconciliation efforts "must not be allowed to fail" or another round of conflict with ‘Israel' could break out.
Palestine's two largest parties -- Fatah and Hamas -- signed an Egyptian-sponsored unity deal on October 12 under which Hamas is supposed to cede power in the Gaza Strip by December 1.
As part of that deal, both parties and other smaller groups are expected to discuss several issues in Cairo, including forming a unity government and holding elections.
Palestinians and international powers hope implementation of the unity deal could help ease the suffering of Gaza's two million residents, who suffer from severe poverty and unemployment.
Meanwhile, the ‘Israeli' apartheid regime has maintained a crippling decade-long blockade of Gaza, while Egypt has also largely closed its border in recent years.
The division between Palestinian factions has also been cited as one of the largest obstacles.
Previous reconciliation attempts have failed.
Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team
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