Gcc Chief Welcomes Palestinian Reconciliation

Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Abdullatif al-Zayani on Thursday welcomed a reconciliation deal hammered out in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday by Fatah and Hamas, the two main Palestinian factions.



"I am confident that ending rifts between the Palestinians will be a step in the right direction," al-Zayani said.



"It will help the Palestinian people obtain their legitimate rights and boost the Palestinians' negotiating position," he was "ed as saying by several Gulf news agencies.



Hamas and Fatah on Wednesday hammered out a reconciliation deal in the Gaza Strip, ending a rift that had persisted between the two Palestinian factions since 2007.



The deal, welcomed by most Arab states, paves the way for the formation of a national unity government and parliamentary and presidential polls.



In Tel Aviv, however, it was not good news.



Commenting on the agreement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who heads Fatah, had to choose between reconciliation with Hamas and peace negotiations with Israel.



Netanyahu added that Hamas only wanted to destroy the self-proclaimed Jewish state.



Al-Zayani, however, said the GCC would continue to support the Palestinian people and what he described as their "just cause."



He said the council would back any endeavor aimed at fostering Palestinian unity and obtaining Palestinian rights.



Relations between Fatah and Hamas had been tense since the latter seized control of the Gaza Strip following deadly clashes with pro-Fatah forces in 2007 – one year after Hamas defeated Fatah in Palestinian legislative polls.



By Ahmed al-Masri



englishnews@aa.com.tr - Doha