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Arab League welcomes Fatah, Hamas reconciliation agreement

CAIRO, Oct 12 (KUNA) -- The Arab League welcomed Thursday the historic Egypt-brokered reconciliation agreement between the two Palestinian rivals Fatah and Hamas.
The reconciliation is an important guarantee for fulfilling Palestinian people's aspirations for liberation, end of Israeli occupation and establishing own independent state on the pre-1967 borders, the pan-Arab organization said in a press statement.
The League argued that the reconciliation would revive the Palestinian cause and bring it back to international limelight.
It would also help counter the Israeli occupation's procrastination in engaging in serious peaceful negotiations based on relevant UN resolutions and the Arab peace initiative, the statement added.
Earlier today, Fatah and Hamas signed the agreement in Cairo ending a decade-long rift.
Under the agreement, the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority is to resume full control of the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip by December 1 and sanctions taken by President Mahmoud Abbas against Gaza will also soon be lifted.
The deal includes 3,000 members of the West Bank's police force redeploying to Gaza and regaining control of Rafah border crossing with Egypt. (end) ms.ibi