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Palestinian Prime Minister Holds First Cabinet Meeting in Gaza After Years of Hamas Control, Gaza Is Scene of Palestinian Cabinet Meeting
(about 9 hours later)
GAZA — The Palestinian prime minister, Rami Hamdallah, convened the first meeting of his cabinet in Gaza on Thursday in a move meant to signal more involvement of the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority in running this enclave after seven years of exclusive control by the Islamic militant group Hamas. GAZA — The Palestinian prime minister, Rami Hamdallah, convened the first meeting of his cabinet in Gaza on Thursday in a move meant to signal more involvement of the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority in running this enclave after seven years of exclusive control by the Islamic militant group Hamas.
The display of Palestinian unity was largely intended to inspire confidence ahead of an international donors’ conference for the reconstruction of Gaza, to be held in Cairo on Sunday. There, President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority is expected to request $4 billion to rebuild the Gaza Strip’s infrastructure and rehouse the tens of thousands of residents whose homes were destroyed or damaged during the 50-day war between Israel and Hamas this summer.The display of Palestinian unity was largely intended to inspire confidence ahead of an international donors’ conference for the reconstruction of Gaza, to be held in Cairo on Sunday. There, President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority is expected to request $4 billion to rebuild the Gaza Strip’s infrastructure and rehouse the tens of thousands of residents whose homes were destroyed or damaged during the 50-day war between Israel and Hamas this summer.
Mr. Hamdallah, who leads a government of national consensus that was formed in June, and is backed by Mr. Abbas’s mainstream Fatah party and by Hamas, is the highest profile West Bank leader to visit Gaza since 2007. That year Hamas seized control of the territory, a year after winning elections and after a brief but bloody factional war with Fatah amid a failed unity government. Mr. Hamdallah, who leads a government of national consensus that was formed in June, and is backed by Mr. Abbas’s mainstream Fatah party and by Hamas, is the highest-profile West Bank leader to visit Gaza since 2007. That year Hamas seized control of the territory, a year after winning elections and after a brief but bloody factional war with Fatah amid a failed unity government.
“The government efforts will focus on various tracks to rescue Gaza and bring relief to its population,” Mr. Hamdallah told reporters as he arrived in Gaza through the Erez crossing with Israel. “We have a moral and humanitarian duty toward our people in Gaza. All of us need to work hand in hand,” he said, adding, “We are here also to end the division and empower the language of reconciliation.”“The government efforts will focus on various tracks to rescue Gaza and bring relief to its population,” Mr. Hamdallah told reporters as he arrived in Gaza through the Erez crossing with Israel. “We have a moral and humanitarian duty toward our people in Gaza. All of us need to work hand in hand,” he said, adding, “We are here also to end the division and empower the language of reconciliation.”
Salah Bardawil, a Hamas official, said the visit “should have taken place a long time ago, but it is better late than never.”Salah Bardawil, a Hamas official, said the visit “should have taken place a long time ago, but it is better late than never.”
“The visit is important for the conference to remove the international and Israeli pretext that there is no unified Palestinian government,” Mr. Bardawil added, referring to the donors’ meeting hosted by Egypt and sponsored by Norway.“The visit is important for the conference to remove the international and Israeli pretext that there is no unified Palestinian government,” Mr. Bardawil added, referring to the donors’ meeting hosted by Egypt and sponsored by Norway.
Since Israel, the United States and many Western countries will not deal directly with Hamas so long as the group refuses to recognize Israel’s right to exist, or to renounce violence, the world powers prefer to see reconstruction funds channeled through the Palestinian Authority.Since Israel, the United States and many Western countries will not deal directly with Hamas so long as the group refuses to recognize Israel’s right to exist, or to renounce violence, the world powers prefer to see reconstruction funds channeled through the Palestinian Authority.
The government, made up of professionals not formally tied to Fatah or Hamas, resulted from a reconciliation pact reached in April. Though such agreements have remained unfulfilled in the past, the challenges of reconstruction appear to have imposed a more practical agenda on the rivals.The government, made up of professionals not formally tied to Fatah or Hamas, resulted from a reconciliation pact reached in April. Though such agreements have remained unfulfilled in the past, the challenges of reconstruction appear to have imposed a more practical agenda on the rivals.
“This tells the world that the Palestinians are ready and have ways to deal with the reconstruction file,” Talal Okal, a political analyst in Gaza, said of the government meeting.“This tells the world that the Palestinians are ready and have ways to deal with the reconstruction file,” Talal Okal, a political analyst in Gaza, said of the government meeting.
But he added, “Fatah wants the government to impose its control on the whole Gaza Strip and to carry out its missions and duties without any obstacles. Hamas wants the government to act as a government of national consensus and to take into consideration the reality or the de facto situation in Gaza — that Hamas is the authority that has control on the ground.” But he added: “Fatah wants the government to impose its control on the whole Gaza Strip and to carry out its missions and duties without any obstacles. Hamas wants the government to act as a government of national consensus and to take into consideration the reality or the de facto situation in Gaza — that Hamas is the authority that has control on the ground.”
Mr. Hamdallah and the dozen or so ministers and senior officials who accompanied him were greeted by an honor guard of Hamas security officers and the four ministers who live in Gaza. Hamas security forces guarded their convoy, though Mr. Hamdallah’s own escorts surrounded his silver Audi sedan.Mr. Hamdallah and the dozen or so ministers and senior officials who accompanied him were greeted by an honor guard of Hamas security officers and the four ministers who live in Gaza. Hamas security forces guarded their convoy, though Mr. Hamdallah’s own escorts surrounded his silver Audi sedan.
The convoy first made its way through Beit Hanoun, amid scenes of widespread destruction from this summer’s war. Residents lined the roads, the rubble of their homes behind them. Some waved and threw candies at the slow-moving cars. Mr. Hamdallah also visited Shejaiya, a neighborhood of Gaza City that was also badly hit, where he sat with a group of local leaders.The convoy first made its way through Beit Hanoun, amid scenes of widespread destruction from this summer’s war. Residents lined the roads, the rubble of their homes behind them. Some waved and threw candies at the slow-moving cars. Mr. Hamdallah also visited Shejaiya, a neighborhood of Gaza City that was also badly hit, where he sat with a group of local leaders.
The government meeting was held in the Gaza residence of Mr. Abbas, who has not visited the territory since 2007. Hamas recently vacated the house as a conciliatory gesture. The meeting lasted only about 15 minutes.The government meeting was held in the Gaza residence of Mr. Abbas, who has not visited the territory since 2007. Hamas recently vacated the house as a conciliatory gesture. The meeting lasted only about 15 minutes.
Mr. Hamdallah and his ministers then went to lunch with Ismail Haniya, a senior Hamas official and the former leader of the Hamas government in Gaza. The lunch took place in the Beach refugee camp, near the ruins of Mr. Haniya’s home, which was destroyed in an Israeli airstrike. Mr. Hamdallah and his ministers then went to lunch with Ismail Haniya, a senior Hamas official and the former leader of the Hamas government in Gaza. The lunch took place in the Beach refugee camp, near the ruins of Mr. Haniya’s home, which was destroyed in an Israeli airstrike.
Mr. Hamdallah planned to spend the night in a Gaza hotel.Mr. Hamdallah planned to spend the night in a Gaza hotel.
Riad Malki, the Palestinian foreign minister, told Voice of Palestine radio on Thursday, “This meeting is more symbolic than anything else. It was important that it was convened and the role of the consensus government was cemented in the reconstruction process.” Riad Malki, the Palestinian foreign minister, told Voice of Palestine radio on Thursday: “This meeting is more symbolic than anything else. It was important that it was convened and the role of the consensus government was cemented in the reconstruction process.”
Kamal Sharafi, a spokesman for the Palestinian presidency, described the event as a kind of rehearsal for a visit by Mr. Abbas.Kamal Sharafi, a spokesman for the Palestinian presidency, described the event as a kind of rehearsal for a visit by Mr. Abbas.
That Israel allowed the Palestinian ministers to travel from the West Bank to Gaza through its territory indicated a more nuanced approach toward the government it initially rejected.That Israel allowed the Palestinian ministers to travel from the West Bank to Gaza through its territory indicated a more nuanced approach toward the government it initially rejected.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, who broke off negotiations with Mr. Abbas’s representatives when the reconciliation pact with Hamas was signed, continues to say that Mr. Abbas must choose between peace and Hamas. But Mr. Netanyahu has stopped publicly calling on Mr. Abbas to dismantle the government, and has acknowledged the importance of cooperation with the Palestinian Authority for aid to flow into Gaza. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel, who broke off negotiations with Mr. Abbas’s representatives when the reconciliation pact with Hamas was signed, continues to say that Mr. Abbas must choose between peace and Hamas. But Mr. Netanyahu has stopped publicly calling on Mr. Abbas to dismantle the government and has acknowledged the importance of cooperation with the Palestinian Authority for aid to flow into Gaza.
“Israel does not have a problem with the Palestinian Authority re-establishing its presence in Gaza,” said a senior Israeli official, speaking on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the issue publicly. “It does have a problem with, and will oppose, any attempt by Hamas to re-establish itself in the West Bank.”“Israel does not have a problem with the Palestinian Authority re-establishing its presence in Gaza,” said a senior Israeli official, speaking on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to discuss the issue publicly. “It does have a problem with, and will oppose, any attempt by Hamas to re-establish itself in the West Bank.”