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Unity government in precarious position

Sep 09,2014 - Last updated at Sep 09,2014

Little wonder that the unity government agreed upon by the Palestinian Authority and Hamas in April is on the brink of collapse.

These two main Palestinian factions are miles apart on fundamental issues related to their common cause.

The much-acclaimed unity accord struck between them aimed to establish an interim consensus government of technocrats to govern the West Bank and Gaza Strip and prepare for national elections.

That has not happened.

Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas accused Hamas of repudiating the accord by continuing to be the de facto ruler in Gaza, which prevents the PA from sharing Gaza governance.

Abbas threatened to end the agreement with the Islamic movement in Gaza and accused Hamas of running a parallel administration in the strip, in defiance of the unity accord.

“We will not accept the situation with Hamas continuing as it is at the moment,” Abbas told the Palestinian news agency WAFA recently.

“We won’t accept a partnership with them if the situation continues where there is a shadow government running the territory,” added Abbas.

One issue that puts the two sides at loggerheads is the PA’s failure to pay the salaries of 27,000 civil and some other 45,000 employees in Gaza, for fear that international donors would suspend all payment to it under the pretext that Hamas is a “terrorist” group.

Pretending that the elusive accord between the PA and Hamas can still be achieved in spite of their differences is delusional.

As long as these two movements cling to power, at the expense of the Palestinian people, and fail to agree on a basic strategy to fight the occupation, as long as petty interests trump the general good, there can be no hope that one government will rule or that the Palestinians could speak in one voice to convince the world of the justice of their cause, as obvious as that is.

Israel’s divide and rule policy is clear, yet the Palestinian leaders play its game, intent only on self gratification.

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