Palestinian unity is a priority

The new Palestinian government formed this week is facing a big challenge to reinstate the foundations of unity among the different strata of the Palestinian people, especially between Gaza and those in the West Bank.

For the last eight years, a nascent new identity started to emerge among young Gazans who feel abandoned by their West Bank brethren, especially following the Israeli aggression of July 2014, when 2,251 were killed, according to United Nations figures.

The unity of the Palestinian people should be a priority for the new government, away from the expected bickering between Fateh and Hamas who will never reconcile since their ideological differences and political orientations are very far apart since the inception of both movements.

The new government can show its bona fide credentials by starting a new programme of reconstruction in Gaza, to rebuild what the war destroyed, since the funds are already allocated by Arab donors.

Such a move would send a strong message that the occupation lines cannot divide one people into two entities.

The more time passes the deeper the schism between Gaza and the West Bank will become unless tangible measures are implemented on the ground to show how much West Bankers share the sufferings of their Gaza brethren under siege by Israeli navy and soldiers.

Thousands of teachers and government employees have not received their salaries for several months; some were appointed by Hamas, others by Fateh.

Hamas does not have any ministers in the new government, due to the Quartet principles and European objections to its participation, being listed as a terrorist organisation that does not abide by Security Council resolutions nor expresses willingness to recognise a de jure Israel or declares its renunciation of violence.

Nobody can accuse President Mohmoud Abbas any longer that he is not entitled constitutionally to speak for all the Palestinian people if the new government takes a courageous initiative to reintegrate Gazan institutions, start reconstruction projects and pay all employees their salaries, irrespective of their affiliation.

While Arab countries in Iraq, Libya, Syria or Egypt are drifting towards an abyss of disintegration and chaos, the uniqueness of the Palestinian people should have its manifestation in a national consensus government that restores to both Gazans and West Bankers the strong fabric of being one society, one people and one nation, whatever the political and ideological differences.