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News Analysis: Gov't reshuffle deepens internal Palestinian feuds

Xinhua, August 4, 2015 Adjust font size:

The recent reshuffle of the Palestinian consensus government has apparently deepened the internal feuds concerning its fate, according to analysts.

They said the Islamic Hamas movement, which slammed and opposed the "unilateral" reshuffle, won't take immediate initiative and withdraw its recognition of the government, and that means the government will survive until a further notice with more argument on its presence.

The consensus government was formed in June last year following an agreement reached in April in Gaza between Hamas and Fatah Party. Its mission was to end internal split and prepare for general elections.

Since then, Hamas, on one hand, and President Mahmoud Abbas, his Fatah Party and the consensus government on the other, have been trading accusations which kept the consensus government unable to take over the control of the Gaza Strip that has been under Hamas grip since 2007.

On Thursday, following an agreement between Abbas and the Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah, the government was reshuffled by adding five new portfolios to its cabinet without coordination or consultation with Hamas or other factions.

On Friday, the new five ministers were sworn in before President Abbas in Ramallah. Hamas officials said that they don't recognize the five new ministers and the movement considered reshuffling the government "a coup on the previous reconciliation agreements."

NEGATIVE OUTCOME

Samir Awad, political science professor at Beir Zeit University in the West Bank, told Xinhua that reshuffling the consensus government at this time wasn't necessary because it would result in negative consequences which may lead the Palestinian situation to more complications.

"The recent reshuffle deepened the internal differences among the Palestinian rivals and put the fate of the government blowing in the wind," Awad said, adding that "but I don't think these deepened differences would lead to downfall of the government."

However, Awad stressed that the current differences "need an urgent internal Palestinian agreement to get out of the crisis either by resolving the disputes on this government or forming a new national unity one."

The major disputes between Hamas and Abbas were related to the performance of the government. Hamas wants the government to pay the salaries of its 43,000 employees it assigned since 2007, while Abbas wants the government to take over all the Gaza Strip.

CARETAKING GOV'T

Palestinian officials said that the reshuffle of the government is "technical and not political and it has been carried out upon Hamdallah's demand to boost his current cabinet because it was a burden to some of the ministers to be in charge of two or three portfolios at the same time."

George Jackman, chairman of the Ramallah-based Institution for Democratic Studies, told Xinhua that the consensus government "can never be blamed for the current consequences because of many reasons, mainly the Israeli restrictions, lack of international aid and the internal division."

Jackman, who agrees with other analysts, ruled out that the current disputes between the Palestinian rivals would lead to toppling the long awaited consensus government, and he believes that the current government will remain as a caretaking body until elections.

"I believe the opportunity of achieving progress in the internal reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah is slim after the reshuffle," said Jackman.

Meanwhile, Sawaf, Gaza-based political analyst, told Xinhua that the reshuffle "failed to gain the accordance of the Palestinian factions," adding that "the recent reshuffle of the government is a new problem added to other outstanding problems that haven't been resolved yet between the two rivals."

Sawaf, who is a Hamas supporter, said that the only solution to all the current problems "is to start a national dialogue and consultations on forming a broader national unity government."

However, he ruled out that Hamas would withdraw its recognition of the consensus government because Hamas would like to see the government perform in Gaza to avoid more future deterioration of the Palestinian situation. Endit