CAIRO (AFP)-Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas and Hamas leader Khaled Ray buried hatchet at a Cairo reconciliation ceremony on Wednesday, ending a nearly four-year feud, but has angered Israel.
The Palestinians gathered in both the West Bank and Gaza Strip to celebrate the long-awaited agreement to put an end to rival administrations in the West Bank and Gaza, and restore the shattered unity by deadly battles in June 2007.
But in London, isrælske prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu was in the first stage of the tour is aimed convincing European leaders that agreement between Abbass secular Fatah faction and the Islamic Hamas as the Jewish State is boycotting as a terrorist organisation will be disastrous for the Middle East peace.
Abbas said the Palestinians had decided to "turn black since division forever," as he joined Ray and leaders of other Palestinian factions in completing the long-awaited agreement pressed on Tuesday.
"We are certain of success as long as we are United ... Reconciliation clears the way not only to put the Palestinian house in order, but also to a fair peace, "he added.
The Palestinian President said the isrælske prime minister must now "choose between (building) settlements and peace," and accused Israel of opposing Palestinian reconciliation accord as "a pretext to avoid peace negotiations."
He VAT collection Netanyahu's insistence that his Palestinian Authority must choose between unity with Hamas, which does not recognise Israel and peace with the Jewish State.
Abbas has refused to resume peace talks with Israel until it restores a moratorium on all settlement construction in the occupied territory, which the Palestinians want for their promised State.
Reconciliation agreement contains provisions on the formation of an interim Government of Nations to lay the foundations for the presidential elections and parliamentary elections within a year.
Negotiations on the new Government line-up was due to start immediately after the Wednesday ceremony.
The surprise deal, which was announced last week, comes after 18 months of fruitless negotiations.
In Gaza City gathered around 300 people waving Palestinian flags in a festive atmosphere to celebrate the deal, dancing and hiring from four crackers.
"The Palestinians want to end the Division," said a banner held aloft the crowd.
Many participants waved green Hamas flags, and have also raised the flag yellow Fatah movement which has been banned in Gaza since the Islamists ousted Abbas loyalists from the area four years ago.
"This is the day we have all been waiting for," shouted an announcer to klakører crowd.
Support rallies were also planned in the West Bank town of Ramallah, where Abbas has his headquarters.
But Israel reacted angrily, threatening to withhold the transfer of Palestinian tax revenues until it could be sure that no money would go to Hamas.
Next his London talks, Netanyahu told Britain's former premier Tony Blair, now the Middle East peace envoy for the great diplomatic players that Abbas must "completely cancel" reconciliation deal, which he said had a "hard blow to the peace process."
Isræls home front defense minister, Matan Vilnai, told public radio Wednesday, Abbas had "made a mistake in agreeing to this agreement, when Hamas is in a situation of vulnerability, which explains why it made moves towards reconciliation."
The Minister said Abbas should have insisted on a "clear statement from Hamas recognises Israel and condemn the terrorism before the signing."
But the Palestinian President made clear Tuesday that Hamas would not have to amend its charter to recognise Israel under reconciliation deal.
"It is not required by Hamas to recognise Israel. We want to form a Government of technocrats, and we will not ask Hamas to recognise Israel, "he said.
Palestinian officials have said the new Government's role will be to manage Affairs in the Palestinian territories, while the Palestine Liberation Organization, as Hamas is not a member, will remain responsible for peace negotiations with Israel.
Among the first tasks to be solved, is the creation of a higher Security Council with the task to examine ways to integrate Hamas and Fatah rival security forces and create a "professional" security service.
The agreement also calls for the establishment of an Electoral Commission Court and for the release of a number of prisoners held by the rival movements in prisons in the West Bank and in Gaza.
Reconciliation fix marks a diplomatic coup for Egypt's new Government, 11 weeks after President Hosni Mubarak was toppled in a popular uprising.
Cairo had tried for more than a year to mediate between Fatah and Hamas, but the effort fell flat.
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