Palestinian factions signing Algeria Declaration 'historic': Tebboune
Algerian President Abdelmajid Tebboune comments on the signing of the Algeria Declaration by the Palestinian factions and says the situation has returned to normal.
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Algeria President Abdelmajid Tebboune with Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh
Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune commented on the Palestinian factions' signing of the Algeria Declaration for reunification and Palestinian unity by saying it was a "historic day."
In a televised speech, Tebboune said on Thursday that "the situation has returned to normal, and this day is a historic day," according to the Algerian Ennahar newspaper.
"We hope to see the establishment of the State of Palestine within the 1967 borders, with Al-Quds as its capital," he added.
In turn, the Algerian Foreign Minister, Ramtane Lamamra, said in a televised speech on Thursday that "the Palestinian factions signed the [Algeria Declaration] for reunification and to achieve Palestinian national unity."
عبد المجيد تبون : أشكر كل الفصائل الفلسطينية و أتمنى قريبا قيام دولة فلسطين في حدود 67 ، و عاصمتها القدس . pic.twitter.com/KYvJ9A8N0O
— 1.2.3 vive l'Algérie 🇩🇿 (@123vivelAlgrie7) October 13, 2022
Palestinian factions met in Algiers Thursday to engage in reconciliatory talks and agree on a timeline to hold elections within a year, officials said.
Among the participants were included Azzam al-Ahmed, the head of the Fatah delegation, Ismael Haniyeh, chief of the Islamist movement Hamas, and leaders or representatives of fourteen other Palestinian factions which have been working over the past two days on a reconciliation deal so that elections could be held.
Senior Hamas official, Hossam Badran, said that both parties had "agreed to hold elections for the Palestinian Legislative Council, the presidency, and the Palestinian National Council within a year".
The absence of Mahmud Abbas during the talks, while he was at meetings in Kazakhstan, initially triggered doubts that a draft reconciliation accord would be signed.
The Algeria declaration was signed yesterday in Algeria's Nation Palace under the auspice of Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune and the heads of the Palestinian delegation.
The Algeria Delegation highlighted the importance of the Palestinian factions "taking practical steps to put an end to the divide and realizing national reconciliation in Palestine, as well as enshrining the principle of political partnership between all Palestinian forces via elections."
It also called for bolstering the role of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), seeing as it is the sole legal representative of the Palestinian people, highlighting the importance of the Palestinian factions coming together and collaborating to make the PLO's work more effective.
One of the declaration's clauses required members of any resulting national unity government to abide by international law, a point which Hamas opposed.
Algeria invited 14 Palestinian factions to attend the conference for a national dialogue on October 11 and 12 in Algiers.
That came after Tebboune stressed late last month that "Palestine is the core issue" for his country, pointing out that there is no "Algerian boy or elderly who does not support Palestine."
"Palestine is a national cause for Algeria, and we do not accept colonization" in it, adding that "we will continue supporting it even if it was colonized by the world's strongest power. Palestine is for the Palestinians, not for others," he underlined.
