Palestine Unity Gov't Could Be Formed in Summer 2017

A Palestinian unity government could be formed this summer, with Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas tasked with beginning consultations on its formation, the moderator of an unofficial intra-Palestinian meeting in Moscow said Tuesday.

MOSCOW (Sputnik) — The Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences, led by Director Vitaly Naumkin, hosted three-day intra-Palestinian talks in Moscow that wrapped up earlier in the day.

"They have instructed Mahmoud Abbas to start consultations on forming a national unity government. It is expected that it will exercise its powers in all three parts of Palestine — the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and East Jerusalem," Naumkin said.

Speaking at a press conference, Naumkin forecast that the Palestinian national unity government could be formed this summer "under a positive scenario."

One of the Fatah movement leaders, Azzam Ahmad, said later that the Moscow meeting's participants planned to instruct Abbas "within 48 hours" to launch consultations on forming the national unity government.