Palestine cabinet pledges to end split with Hamas

Gaza: Palestinian Authority (PA) Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah has pledged to end a decade-long split between the Islamist Hamas Movement of Gaza and his West Bank-based government during a cabinet meeting in Gaza, which was held for the first time since 2014.

"We are here to turn the page on division, restore the national project to its correct direction and establish the Palestinian state," he said."We will undertake our responsibilities in administrating the affairs of all sectors of the southern provinces in consensus and complete partnership with the Palestinian factions and forces," Jerusalem Post quoted Hamdallah as saying during the cabinet meeting.

The latest development is a major step towards reconciliation with Hamas and simultaneously ending the territorial division between the West Bank and Gaza.

"I urge everyone without exception to embrace the leadership, reconciliation and national unity and to put our national interest above factional and party considerations and interests," he added.Hamdallah also called on Palestinians to unify around the Palestinian leadership and overcome factional differences.

He emphasized that reconciliation would encourage the international community to fund rebuilding Gaza as USD 5.4 billion has been pledged by the international community pledged to reconstruct the Strip in the aftermath of Operation Protective Edge in 2014.

The cabinet meeting was held at the official Gaza residence of Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas in the cabinet office.Hamas ousted the PA from Gaza after bloody street fighting in 2007, but finally agreed last month to its return, under pressure from the territory`s powerful neighbour Egypt.

Egyptian Intelligence Minister Khaled Fawzy will arrive in Gaza to meet with PA officials and Hamas leader Ismail Haniya on Thursday.Recently, Interpol, the international police organization, has voted to admit Palestine as a full member, thereby advancing the latter`s goal of statehood.

This development is a diplomatic blow to Israel, which has been opposing Palestine moves to join international bodies.About 75 countries voted in favour, with 24 voting against and 34 abstaining in a secret vote held during 86th Interpol General Assembly on Sept. 26-29 in Beijing. 

"The State of Palestine and the Solomon Islands are now INTERPOL member countries," Interpol said on Twitter.

The Palestinian bid was part of a series of efforts to push for membership of international institutions and thereby advance the goal of statehood.