Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah and Prime Minister Ismail Haniyah of Hamas announced plans to form a new, unity government in hopes that such a gesture would lead to a resumption of foreign aid and relieve the economic and humanitarian despair enveloping the West Bank and Gaza Strip. However, disagreements between the two political rivals over ministerial portfolios and disparate interpretations of the political platform have delayed the actual formation of the new government until Abbas returns from his trip to the United States .
The real target of this announcement is the European Union. Palestinian officials sensed accurately that Hamas’ compromised posture in the new unity government?it would adhere to past PLO-Israeli agreements but refuse to renounce violence or explicitly recognize Israel –would fail to satisfy either the US or Israel. European officials have likewise maintained that Hamas is expected to meet the three international conditions but have also indicated a willingness to work with the new Palestinian government and restore some degree of financial aid.
New Unity Government
Abbas and Haniyah agreed to form a new government based on a Palestinian Prisoners’ Manifesto , which calls for peace in exchange for Israel’s return to pre-1967 War borders, the establishment of a Palestinian state in West Bank and Gaza with a state capitol in East Jerusalem, and the ‘right of return’ for Palestinian refugees. The plan calls for Abbas to dissolve the current government and allow Haniyah to retain his position and form a new government with members from Hamas, Fatah, other Palestinian parties, and technocrats. Hamas would not run the Palestinian Authority but continue to play an integral role in its governance.
The increasingly desperate situation in the Palestinian Territories, particularly in Gaza, drove both Hamas and Fatah to consider uniting behind a new government. The resumption of international aid, potentially facilitated by the reduced stature of Hamas in the new government, is necessary for improving the plight of the Palestinian population. Approximately 1,000,000 Palestinians living in the Territories rely on government salaries that have not been paid in over six months by a bankrupt government that relies on international aid for half its budget. Thousands of civil workers have gone on strike, social services are not being provided, and general insecurity for civilians is on the rise. United Nations’ Under Secretary for Humanitarian Affairs has described Gaza as “a ticking time bomb” (source).
Yet, the actual formation of the new unity government has stalled due in large part to Hamas’ persistent, confrontational positions. Its acceptance of past PLO-Israel agreements was qualified to include “only those that serve the Palestinian interest” (source), and public statements regarding the new government have emphasized, rather than downplayed, its continued refusal to recognize Israel: “We don’t recognize Israel?If such a position is a problem, then we consider that an honor” (source). Hamas’ belligerent rhetoric has undermined the spirit of cooperation that accompanied Abbas’ announcement of the new unity government and, therefore, the Palestinian end goal of attaining the resumption of foreign aid.
Targeting Europe
The concept of a unity government is clearly aimed at winning support among European governments, many of whom endorse a less hard-line approach than their American counterpart. Indeed, Haniyah urged Europe to distance its policy from the US, stating, “We expect from the international community, and especially the European Union, to be more balanced and fairer in dealing with the Palestinians” (source). The approach has shown promise, with multiple European dignitaries recently visiting the region and EU foreign ministers tentatively agreeing to back the new government (source). If Hamas and Fatah manage to reconcile their differences over the new government in the coming weeks, European governments will likely reciprocate by restoring some degree of foreign aid to the Palestinian Authority.
