Rival Palestinian Arab factions Fatah and Hamas pledged a united campaign against Israel's prospective plans to apply sovereignty in parts of Judea and Samaria, in a rare joint press conference on Thursday.
"We will put in place all necessary measures to ensure national unity" in efforts against Israeli sovereignty, senior Fatah official Jibril Rajoub said in Ramallah at the news conference, also addressed by Hamas official Saleh al-Arouri by video-link from Beirut.
"Today, we want to speak in a single voice," Rajoub said.
Rajoub also declared that Fatah would be changing its years-old policy and allowing Hamas free rein in areas under Palestinian Authority control.
"We are totally aware that we are playing with fire, and that security forces will have to work much harder to maintain order, but this battle has united us," Rajoub said.
Former Communications Minister Ayoub Kara later responded to Rajoub's statement that Hamas would have "free rein" in PA-controlled areas, saying, "This is an extremely serious statement that should ignite a warning light," Kara said. "We have to make it quite clear to the Palestinians that we won't hesitate to do whatever is necessary to protect our citizens in Judea and Samaria, as we have done in military campaigns in the past."
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