Hamas and Abbas agree to form joint government

Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas and moderate Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas today agreed to start negotiations on forming a broader government, a government spokesman said.

The decision was made during a meeting between Abbas and Haniyeh, said Ghazi Hamad, a spokesman for the Hamas government.

“In principle, there is agreement on this issue,” said Hamad. “They will start negotiations between the president and the Palestinian factions.”

Haniyeh told Abbas a broader government can only be formed after a number of Hamas Cabinet ministers and legislators, arrested by Israel in recent weeks, have been released.