Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah prepared for the historic signing of a truce deal Wednesday despite Israel's fervent objections. President Mahmoud Abbas said at the official ceremony that Palestinians had "turned forever the black page of division. Hamas is part of the Palestinian people.
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, who heads Fatah, and senior Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal were in Cairo on Wednesday to endorse a deal to end a four-year rift but a last minute hitch cast doubt on the durability of the accord.
The ceremony was delayed by a disagreement over protocol shortly before it began over whether Mashaal should sit on the podium with Abbas or down among other Palestinian delegates in the hall.
Many participants waved the green flag of Hamas, and a few also raised the yellow flag of the Fatah movement, which has been banned in Gaza for the last four years during the bitter division between the two organisations.
Draft of the deal was signed Tuesday in Cairo. Wednesday's ceremony was delayed nearly two hours, apparently due to a last-minute argument over Hamas and Fatah leaders' seating arrangements. Sources say Abbas refused to allow Mashaal to sit next to him on stage.
West Bank town of Ramallah, where demonstrations supporting the deal were planned in the central Manara Square and at the parliament building, the reaction was more cautious.
It's a positive thing, but it must be brought to life," said one member of the March 15 movement, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Israel aggrandizes the value of unity, but when it comes to the Palestinians they jump as if snake-bitten. This is a mixture of typical Israeli hypocrisy and vanity," he said. "Palestinian unity will bring on the end of the occupation and the founding of a Palestinian state, with or without Israel.
Reconciliation agreement that reunites the Palestinian people," Tibi explained to Army Radio. "I need to be here and I'm proud to be here. Anything else would be abnormal."
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Diplomats said foreign and Arab dignitaries, including EU Foreign Policy chief Catherine Ashton and Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, were also invited to the ceremony.
However, a press officer at the EU mission in Cairo said Ashton was in New York, and therefore unable to attend.
Diplomats said foreign and Arab dignitaries, including EU Foreign Policy chief Catherine Ashton and Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, were also invited to the ceremony.
However, a press officer at the EU mission in Cairo said Ashton was in New York, and therefore unable to attend.
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