An official appointment drifts away Palestinian reconciliation

The Interior Ministry in Gaza announced on Sunday the appointment of a high-ranked security official, a step deemed by the consensus government as unilateral.

The ministry said in a statement that it has appointed a director of the interior security forces on Wednesday.

Tawfiq Abu Naim has replaced Salah Al-Deen Abu Sharkh in a ceremony held in Gaza attended by leaders of the security forces. The ministry said the new employment comes within its policy of renewing employees.

The interior security forces include the police, interior security, civil defense and central civil departments that belong to the Interior Ministry.

The appointed official was released from Israel's jails in the swap deal carried out in 2011 after spending 23 years in prison. He replaced Abu Sharkh who held the position for three years.

In turn, the deputy interior minister in the Palestinian consensus government in Ramallah Hassan Alawi denied his government's relation with this security change in Gaza.

Alawi said that "the unilateral replacement is a new proof of the Hamas security control over Gaza where the party doesn't allow the consensus government of assuming its responsibilities."

The Palestinian consensus government was formed early June of 2014 on the grounds of reconciliation agreements between Hamas and PLO parties.

The government, however, says it is unable to enforce its control on Gaza because of Hamas' "shadow" government that has been in charge of the coastal enclave since its forcible control of power in 2007, which marked the beginning of the internal Palestinian split.

In turn, Hamas accuses the government of deserting its responsibilities in Gaza and not paying salaries of employees hired by the Hamas government. Endit