A landmark unity pact has been agreed in the Middle East between Palestinians.<br /><br />The accord was reached on Wednesday between the Gaza-based Islamist Hamas and President Mahmoud Abbas’s Fatah group. <br /><br />“We will forget what happened in the past,” said Fatah senior official, Azzam al-Ahmed. “The result of the efforts that we have made is clear today, as we agreed on all the points that we discussed.”<br /><br />While Hamas prime minister, Ismail Haniyeh added:<br />“This is good news to tell our Palestinian nation, in the diaspora about the end of an era of division.”<br /><br />It’s hoped the agreement will lead to the formation of a unity government over the next five weeks, with national elections expected six months after a vote of confidence by the Palestinian parliament. <br /><br />Israel cancelled a planned session of peace negotiations with the Palestinians shortly after the accord was announced.
