Palestinians Celebrate Unity Deal

Thursday May 05, 2011 17:00 by Kevin Murphy - International Middle East Media Center

Thousands of Palestinians across the West Bank and the Gaza Strip celebrated the singing of the unity deal between Fateh and Hamas movements ending a four year divide between the factions, including a period of bloody gun battles between fighters of the two movements in Gaza .

The Maan news agency reports that in Gaza City around 300 people waving Palestinian flags gathered to mark the event. The Palestinian News Network has reported similar celebrations in the West Bank city of Ramallah.

In Ramallah Hamas officials have appeared on Palestinian TV for the first time in several years.

In Gaza, the station began broadcasting again for the first time since a four year ban.

Fatah flags, which had also been banned by the Hamas administration since the split, could also be seen among the celebrations in Gaza.

The Qatar-based Al Jazeera have broadcast interviews with families of the victims of the 2007 conflict between the factions, where at least a100 persons were killed, welcoming the deal.

The unity deal came as a result of pressure from the Palestinian people, especially the youth movement, inspired by the events unfolding across the Middle East.

The celebrations did not go off without any incident however as Israeli soldiers attacked a non violent procession in Nabi Saleh near the West Bank town of Nablus.

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