Palestinian Authority chief Mahmud Abbas will lead an interim national government to prepare for upcoming elections, under an agreement signed on Monday in the Qatari capital. The "Doha Declaration" was signed by Abbas and Hamas political wing chief Khaled Meshaal in the presence of Qatar's emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani.
The agreement states that the new Palestinian government will comprise "independent technocrats," and will also be responsible for overseeing reconstruction efforts in the Gaza Strip. According to AFP, the new cabinet will be responsible for the "smooth implementation of presidential and parliamentary elections."
The declaration came after two days of talks between Meshaal and Abbas.
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