Palestinian unity may not survive fallout from Israeli youth murders
Both the Palestinian Authority and Hamas leaders are warning the reconciliation deal might collapse, as pressure from Israel mounts after the death of three Israeli teen settlers.
Palestinians fear that the results of the Hebron operation might affect the future of the reconciliation, with Israel pressuring the Palestinian Authority (PA) to renounce the agreement with Hamas. The operation appears to be a direct result of the consensus government, which was declared on June 2, with both Fatah and Hamas officials warning of unilateral steps that may undo the reconciliation deal.
The comment posted by Mousa Abu Marzouk, deputy head of Hamas’ political bureau, on his Facebook page on June 29 surprised the Palestinians and highlighted bleak expectations for the future of the reconciliation. Abu Marzouk wrote: “Hamas may again rule the Gaza Strip to preserve the security of its people, since a vacuum is unacceptable. The [Gaza] Strip is no longer the responsibility of the previous government, and there is no consensus government. The Gaza Strip is first and foremost under siege from the [Palestinian] Authority. Was the reconciliation torn apart?”
A Palestinian security official told the London-based Al Hayat newspaper: “If it is proven that Hamas abducted [and murdered] the settlers, this will leave a significant impact on the reconciliation. The PA will put its implementation on hold and will freeze it until things become clearer.”
Palestinian media circulated the minutes of the PLO Executive Committee meeting on June 15 in Ramallah, headed by President Mahmoud Abbas. During the meeting, Abbas said, “If it is proven that Hamas kidnapped [and killed] the settlers, we will have a position on the reconciliation.”
