Palestinians on track to form unity government

Arrangements are underway to engage 3, 000 security officers from the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) in the security agencies of the Hamas-run government in the Gaza Strip, a Hamas official said Sunday. The arrangements are part of the reconciliation discussions between Hamas movement and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party, Hamas cabinet secretary Abdul-Salam Siam said in a press statement. "The security situation in Gaza will not change unless a unity government is formed. Only 3,000 security men will be engaged in the current security forces in Gaza," he added. Since rival Palestinian Hamas movement and Fatah party signed a reconciliation agreement last month, both parties have been discussing details to form a national unity government that would prepare for general elections. The new understandings would end a Palestinian political rift that started when Hamas took over Gaza in June 2007 after routing forces loyal to Abbas who now rules the West Bank. Discussions on the formation of the unity government will be started when Azzam Al-Ahmad, a Fatah official in charge of the reconciliation file, arrives in Gaza later this week. Under the reconciliation agreement, the unity government should be formed within five weeks since the signing of the deal.