Special report: Palestine-Israel Relations

    CAIRO, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- Arab foreign ministers Wednesday called on rival Palestinian movements of Hamas and Fatah to work together for the national unity of the Palestinians.

    The two Palestinian movements should take part in the ongoing efforts by parties concerned to help reach Palestinian national reconciliation, said a statement issued after an emergency meeting of Arab foreign ministers late Wednesday.

    The two rivals have been trading politically-motivated abductions against their dissidents since Hamas seized the Gaza Strip by force in mid June of 2007.

    In early November, Hamas thwarted an Egyptian initiative to hold an inter-Palestinian reconciliation dialogue that was due to start on Nov. 10 in Cairo, saying it cannot sit with Fatah while its supporters and members in the West Bank face a Fatah-led clampdown.

    The Arab foreign ministers are supporting the Palestinian leadership in its efforts to achieve a just settlement to "end the Israeli occupation and the suffering of the Palestinian people," said the statement.

    As for the presidency of Palestinian leadership, the Arab foreign ministers called on Palestinian National Authority (PNA) President Mahmoud Abbas to stay on in his post, saying Abbas "should continue his responsibility as president of the Palestinian Authority."

    On Tuesday, Abbas reiterated that he would stay in office for an additional year, neglecting pledges by rival Hamas not to recognize him after his term ends next January.

    In a bid to lift the humanitarian suffering in the Palestinian enclave Gaza Strip, the Arab ministers agreed to provide medical and food supplies to the Palestinians in the blockaded coastal strip.