President Mahmoud Abbas swore in a new Palestinian unity government on Monday backed by both Fatah and Hamas in a major step toward ending a crippling political split among Palestinians, but one that could cause new friction with Israel.
"Today, and after announcing the government of national unity, we declare the end of division that caused catastrophic harm to our cause," Abbas said.
The brief ceremony was preceded by last-minute haggling over the makeup of the cabinet, signaling the continued tensions between the long-time rivals.
The Islamic militant Hamas group, which seized the Gaza Strip from Fatah forces in a brief civil war in 2007, had demanded that Abbas reverse a decision to remove the position of the minister of prisoner affairs from the government.
Just minutes before the start of the swearing-in ceremony, Hamas officials said that the dispute was resolved, though the nature of the compromise was not immediately clear.
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