Special report: Palestine-Israel Relations

    RAMALLAH, Aug. 20 (Xinhua) -- Salam Fayyad, Prime Minister of the caretaker Palestinian government on Wednesday said restoring political unity between Palestinian territories was possible.

    "This is possible by adhering to president Mahmoud Abbas' initiative and forming a national unity government in preparation for presidency and parliamentary elections," Fayyad told reporters in Ramallah.

    West Bank is controlled by pro-Abbas forces and Fayyad's government takes care of it. In Gaza Strip, Hamas tightens its grip by time since it ousted Abbas' Fatah and routed his forces last year.

    Fayyad suggested that Arab countries should provide assistance to the Palestinian security forces to rebuild and restore their capacity in Gaza Strip.

    Hamas now controls the security forces in the Gaza Strip, having hired thousands of its supporters and replaced the pro-Fatah security personnel.

    Fayyad said the security services must be restructured according to professional and objective factors, rather than factional loyalties.

    Fayyad's remarks coincided with increasing calls for making reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah to end the split.