HOLY LAND: THE TEXT OF "THE MECCA AGREEMENT"

The Mecca agreement

Based on the generous initiative announced by Saudi King Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz and under the sponsorship of his majesty, Fatah and Hamas Movements held in the period February 6-8, 2007 in Holy Mecca the dialogues of Palestinian conciliation and agreement and these dialogues, thanks to God, ended with success and an agreement was reached on the following:

-- First: to ban the shedding of Palestinian blood and to take all measures and arrangements to prevent the shedding of Palestinian blood and to stress the importance of national unity as the basis for national steadfastness and confronting the occupation and to achieve the legitimate national goals of the Palestinian people and adopt the language of dialogue as the sole basis for solving political disagreements in the Palestinian arena.

Within this context, we offer gratitude to the brothers in Egypt and the Egyptian security delegation in Gaza who exerted tremendous efforts to calm conditions in Gaza Strip in the past period.

-- Second: Final agreement to form a Palestinian national unity government according to a detailed agreement ratified by both sides and to start on an urgent basis to take the constitutional measures to form this government.

-- Third: to move ahead in measures to activate and reform the Palestine Liberation Organisation and accelerate the work of the preparatory committee based on the Cairo and Damascus Understandings.

It has been agreed also on detailed steps between both sides on this issue.

-- Fourth: to stress on the principle of political partnership on the basis of the effective laws in the PNA and on the basis of political pluralism according to an agreement ratified between both parties.

We gladly announce this agreement to the Palestinian masses and to the Arab and Islamic nation and to all our friends in the world. We stress our commitment to this agreement in text and spirit so that we can devote our time to achieve our national goals and get rid of the occupation and regain our rights and devote work to the main dossiers, mainly Jerusalem, refugees, Al-Aqsa mosque, prisoners and detainees and to confront the (West Bank separation) wall and settlements.

Abbas letter to Haniya

The following is the text of the letter from president Mahmud Abbas asking Hamas premier Ismail Haniya to form a new government:

Greetings,

In my capacity as chairman of the PLO Executive Committee and president of the Palestinian National Authority and after reviewing the Basic Law and based on the authorities vested in me:
-- First: I commission you to form the next Palestinian government within the set period as stipulated in the Basic Law.

-- Second: after concluding the formation of the government and presenting it to us, the government will be presented to the Palestinian Legislative Council to get the confidence vote.

-- Third: I call upon you as PM of the next government to abide by the interests of the Palestinian people and to preserve their rights and maintain their accomplishments and develop them and work on achieving their national goals as ratified by the resolutions of the Palestinian National Council (the PLO’s legislative body) meetings and the Basic Law articles and the national conciliation document and Arab summit resolutions and based on this, I call upon you to respect the Arab and international legitimacy resolutions and agreements signed by the PLO.
May God help you in your steps and duties.

Sharing of ministries

The preliminary agreement on the distribution of ministerial portfolios reads as follows:

-- The current PM Ismail Hanieh shall assume the PM post in the national unity government.

-- President Abbas shall appoint a deputy PM.

-- Ziad Abu Amr (Independent) shall be appointed as Minister for Foreign Affairs.

-- Salam Fayyad (Independent) shall be appointed as Finance Minister.

-- Hamas will nominate an independent figure for the Interior Ministry on condition that president Abbas approves to this nomination.

-- Hamas will get eight ministries: Education and Higher Education, Islamic Waqf, Labour, Local Government, Youth and Sports, Justice, Telecommunications and Information Technology, Economy, and a state minister.

-- Hamas will also name an independent figure to the Planning Ministry and another independent figure as state minister.

-- Fatah will get six ministries: Health, Social Affairs, Public Works, Transportation, Agriculture and Prisoners Affairs.

-- Fatah will name the Minister for foreign affairs (Ziad Abu Amr) and an independent figure as state minister.


Pertinent Links:

1) Text of Palestinians’ Mecca Agreement