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| Abbas Asks Palestinian Prime Minister to Seek New Government | Abbas Asks Palestinian Prime Minister to Seek New Government |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| JERUSALEM — President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority on Thursday asked Rami Hamdallah, the prime minister, to form a new government of national reconciliation, a move that could send Israeli-Palestinian relations into a tailspin and would disrupt any prospect of a resumption of American-brokered peace talks. | JERUSALEM — President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority on Thursday asked Rami Hamdallah, the prime minister, to form a new government of national reconciliation, a move that could send Israeli-Palestinian relations into a tailspin and would disrupt any prospect of a resumption of American-brokered peace talks. |
| The decision to form a new government is the result of a unity pact reached last month between Mr. Abbas’s Palestine Liberation Organization, which is dominated by the mainstream Fatah faction, and its rival, Hamas, the Islamic militant group that controls Gaza. Palestinian officials said the new government, made up of politically independent professionals, would likely be announced within days. Under the terms of the agreement last month, Palestinian leaders agreed to do that within five weeks, and elections were to be held in about six months. | |
| “This letter designates Dr. Rami Hamdallah to form a new transitional government,” Mr. Abbas said Thursday, according to WAFA, the official Palestinian news agency, at an appearance with Mr. Hamdallah. “I wish him luck in this difficult task which he will undertake.” | “This letter designates Dr. Rami Hamdallah to form a new transitional government,” Mr. Abbas said Thursday, according to WAFA, the official Palestinian news agency, at an appearance with Mr. Hamdallah. “I wish him luck in this difficult task which he will undertake.” |
| The possibility has already prompted stern warnings from Israel, which says it will not deal with a government “backed by Hamas,” even if the ministers themselves are not politically affiliated. Hamas has refused to recognize Israel, which, like the United States and the European Union, classifies Hamas as a terrorist organization. | The possibility has already prompted stern warnings from Israel, which says it will not deal with a government “backed by Hamas,” even if the ministers themselves are not politically affiliated. Hamas has refused to recognize Israel, which, like the United States and the European Union, classifies Hamas as a terrorist organization. |
| A Palestinian consensus government could also prove to be a new source of tension between Israel and the Obama administration, because of possible differences over how to deal with the new Palestinian government. | A Palestinian consensus government could also prove to be a new source of tension between Israel and the Obama administration, because of possible differences over how to deal with the new Palestinian government. |
| “We think that by embracing Hamas, Abbas is increasing the levels of volatility and danger,” an Israeli government official said, requesting anonymity because he was speaking before a new Palestinian government had formally been announced. “We are concerned that Hamas will exploit the pact to strengthen its position in the West Bank.” | “We think that by embracing Hamas, Abbas is increasing the levels of volatility and danger,” an Israeli government official said, requesting anonymity because he was speaking before a new Palestinian government had formally been announced. “We are concerned that Hamas will exploit the pact to strengthen its position in the West Bank.” |
| Sami Abu Zuhri, a Hamas spokesman in Gaza, said a few more days were needed to finalize the government. Other officials suggested that one or two ministerial appointments were still in dispute. | Sami Abu Zuhri, a Hamas spokesman in Gaza, said a few more days were needed to finalize the government. Other officials suggested that one or two ministerial appointments were still in dispute. |
| But the Israeli official added that once Mr. Abbas “consummates” his alliance with Hamas, he could be held accountable for any rockets fired against Israel by militants in Gaza. “He will become an address for our response,” the official said, refusing to elaborate. | But the Israeli official added that once Mr. Abbas “consummates” his alliance with Hamas, he could be held accountable for any rockets fired against Israel by militants in Gaza. “He will become an address for our response,” the official said, refusing to elaborate. |
| After the unity pact between the Palestinian factions was announced in April, Israel broke off peace negotiations with Mr. Abbas days before the expiration of the American-brokered talks. Israel also said it would deduct money from the monthly transfer of tax revenues it collects on behalf of the Palestinian Authority to offset Palestinian debts to Israeli utility companies, and barred high-level meetings between Israeli and Palestinian officials, other than those on issues relating to security. | |
| Once the Palestinian government of national reconciliation is formed, Israel can be expected to take further steps. In the past it has stopped the transfer of tax revenues altogether, putting the financially fragile Palestinian Authority under intense pressure. | |
| The European Union, which gives substantial aid to the Palestinian Authority, has said it will support a new government of independent figures and continue direct financial assistance so long as the government upholds international principles of nonviolence, accepts previous obligations and agreements with Israel, and recognizes Israel’s right to exist. | |
| Mr. Abbas has said that the government will adhere to these conditions. That is not enough for Israel, which insists on Hamas adhering to them as well. | |
| Israeli officials have said that they received a specific commitment in the past from the American administration that it backed Israel’s position of not negotiating or dealing with a government in which Hamas played a role unless Hamas accepted the principles laid down by world powers after the Islamic group won Palestinian elections in 2006. But that claim appeared to be at odds with some more recent signals from Washington. | |
| After the Palestinians announced their unity deal in April, Jen Psaki, a State Department spokeswoman, called the move “disappointing.” She then added that “any Palestinian government must unambiguously and explicitly commit to nonviolence, recognition of the state of Israel, and acceptance of previous agreements and obligations between the parties,” without making any mention of Hamas. | |
| “Clearly there are differences of opinion between Israel and the United States,” said Michael Herzog, a fellow of The Washington Institute for Near East Policy and a former military official and negotiator based in Israel. “Even if there were such understandings,” he said, referring to the Israeli assertions about a past commitment, “the U.S. is not there today.” | |
| With the Obama administration already laying much of the blame for the collapsed peace talks on Israel, Israeli sanctions and punitive actions against the Palestinians may not be supported by Washington, he said, and may be met with additional unilateral moves by the Palestinians to join more international organizations, despite Israeli objections. There could also be a push in Congress to stop funding the Palestinian Authority. | |
| “This new Palestinian government will inject some new tensions between Israel and the United States, adding to the existing tension after the collapse of the talks,” Mr. Herzog added. | |
| Should the unity deal fall apart, Israel said it would resume talks with its Palestinian interlocutors. But Mr. Abbas has said that any resumption of peace talks depends on a three-month freeze of all Israeli settlement construction and talks focusing on the borders of Israel and a future Palestinian state. Israel has rejected these conditions. | |
| The Vatican announced on Thursday that a planned prayer meeting between Pope Francis, Mr. Abbas and President Shimon Peres of Israel, who plays a largely ceremonial role, will take place in Vatican City on June 8. | |
| For the Palestinians, national reconciliation and unity is highly popular after seven years of schism. The rivalry between Hamas and Fatah peaked in 2007 when Hamas took full control of Gaza a year after it won Palestinian elections and after a brief but bloody factional war in the Palestinian coastal territory. Hamas routed the forces loyal to Mr. Abbas, whose authority was limited to parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank. There have been no elections since. | |
| Mustafa Barghouti, an independent Palestinian politician who took part in the reconciliation talks, said in a telephone interview that “the most important thing is that this government will mean the end of this terrible division and it will reactivate the Palestinian democratic system.” | |
| Mr. Barghouti added that the new government will open the way for negotiations with the Egyptian government on new security arrangements that would allow the opening of the Rafah crossing on Gaza’s border with Egypt. That, he said, would begin to alleviate the crushing isolation of Gaza caused largely by Israel’s closure of the territory, with Israel citing security reasons. The new government in Egypt has also been squeezing the Hamas-run enclave. | |
| Many of the thorniest issues, like the future of Hamas’s armed forces and the payment of thousands of employees of the Hamas government in Gaza, remain unresolved. | |
| The new Palestinian government “will create an opening for discussions on these issues,” Mr. Barghouti said, adding, “In the case of Gaza, things will happen gradually.” | |
| Still, Gaza will remain separate from the West Bank by 25 miles of Israeli territory at the narrowest point, with Israel strictly controlling any movement between the two territories. |