Haneya calls for national unity government

The Palestinian ousted Prime Minister Ismail Haneya has called upon Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas to accelerate forming a national unity government and arrange for presidential and legislative or parliamentary elections. Haneya made the remarks in Gaza City in an address marking the second anniversary of an Egyptian-brokered prisoner swap deal between the Palestinians and Israel under which one Israeli prisoner, Gilad Shalit was freed in exchange of the release of more than 1,000 Palestinian inmates. He also urged the Fatah, the party led by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to end the ongoing split and implement the reconciliation agreements between the two sides. The Palestinian Hamas leader reiterated due keenness of the Palestinian people and the Palestinian government and Hamas movement on maintaining Egypt’s stability , national security and interests noting that Egypt has the right to take all necessary measures to maintain its security on condition it would not be done at the expense of Gaza. He also warned against the systematic machinations hatched against the occupied holy city of Al Quds under the ongoing negotiations between the Palestinian and the Israelis and which, the Israeli occupier, is taking as a cover for its hostile and aggressive practices against the Palestinian people and the holy sites. Source: QNA