Fatah, Hamas government consultations

The leader of the Fatah, Azzam al-Ahmad said that it an agreement with Hamas has been reached for the Central Elections Commission to start work in Gaza on May 27, which will coincide with the consultations on the formation of the new government. The government will be announced 10 days later in a meeting between Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas, and the head of Hamas, Khaled Meshaal. Al-Ahmad said in a press statement that it was agreed that the government, which Abbas will head according to the Doha Declaration, will govern for six months, after which the presidential, legislative and national council elections will take place. In a similar development, the cabinet of ministers - during its meeting in Ramallah which was headed by Salam Fayyad - welcomed the Cairo agreement which was concerned with the national reconciliation. The council considered that the issue constituted a response to the aspirations of the Palestinian people, of restoring their national unity. The council also welcomed the decision of the South Africa government, to mark products from settlements to distinguish them from other Israeli products. The council also commended the Danish prime minister for saying that it was not possible to smuggle the settlements goods and export them to Europe, in the framework of the trade agreement signed by the European Union and Israel. The Danish prime minister said that this was because settlements are a clear encroachment of  international law. The council also called on all other nations to adopt similar decisions. The council also condemned Israeli army escalations in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. There were also attacks carried out by dozens of settlers on the Palestinians in the city of Asira al-Qibliya, as well as settlers shooting at Palestinians. Similar incidents also happened in the towns of Burin, Beit Ummar, Aynabus and Wadi Fukin which were entirely exposed to settler attacks, which included burning of  cars, destruction of vineyards, and writing slogans which incite 'death to Palestinians'. The council also praised the statement of the council of the European Union foreign ministers of May 14, which rejected the escalating violence of the settlers against the Palestinian people, and the continuation of Israeli settlement activities in the Palestinian territories, including Jerusalem.