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| With Hope for Unity, Abbas Swears In a New Palestinian Government | With Hope for Unity, Abbas Swears In a New Palestinian Government |
| (3 months later) | |
| RAMALLAH, West Bank — Declaring that a “black page in history has been turned forever,” President Mahmoud Abbas of the Palestinian Authority swore in a new government on Monday intended to reunite the West Bank and Gaza Strip after seven years of harsh political and social division. | |
| “Today we restore our national unity,” Mr. Abbas said in a speech after the new ministers took their oaths at his headquarters here. “We are all loyal to Palestine. We want to keep its banner hoisted high.” | “Today we restore our national unity,” Mr. Abbas said in a speech after the new ministers took their oaths at his headquarters here. “We are all loyal to Palestine. We want to keep its banner hoisted high.” |
| The ceremony came six weeks after the Palestine Liberation Organization — dominated by Mr. Abbas’s Fatah faction — and the militant Hamas movement that has ruled Gaza since 2007 signed a pact paving the way for the new government. But the triumphant moment was marred by complaints from Hamas until the ceremony started over the government’s composition. The dispute illustrated the delicate task Mr. Abbas has in balancing internal politics and international diplomacy as he tries to maintain support even though Hamas is deemed a terrorist organization by the United States, Europe and much of the West and has refused to recognize Israel or renounce violence. | The ceremony came six weeks after the Palestine Liberation Organization — dominated by Mr. Abbas’s Fatah faction — and the militant Hamas movement that has ruled Gaza since 2007 signed a pact paving the way for the new government. But the triumphant moment was marred by complaints from Hamas until the ceremony started over the government’s composition. The dispute illustrated the delicate task Mr. Abbas has in balancing internal politics and international diplomacy as he tries to maintain support even though Hamas is deemed a terrorist organization by the United States, Europe and much of the West and has refused to recognize Israel or renounce violence. |
| The Palestinians are also bracing for punitive sanctions by Israel, which on Monday announced that it would hold the new government responsible for attacks from the West Bank or Gaza, and would work “in the international arena” to block Hamas’s participation in the elections the new government is supposed to hold after six months. | The Palestinians are also bracing for punitive sanctions by Israel, which on Monday announced that it would hold the new government responsible for attacks from the West Bank or Gaza, and would work “in the international arena” to block Hamas’s participation in the elections the new government is supposed to hold after six months. |
| “Today, Abu Mazen said yes to terrorism and no to peace,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel said in a statement, using Mr. Abbas’s nickname. “The state of Israel will not conduct diplomatic negotiations with a Palestinian government backed by Hamas, a terrorist organization that calls for the destruction of Israel.” | “Today, Abu Mazen said yes to terrorism and no to peace,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel said in a statement, using Mr. Abbas’s nickname. “The state of Israel will not conduct diplomatic negotiations with a Palestinian government backed by Hamas, a terrorist organization that calls for the destruction of Israel.” |
| Secretary of State John Kerry told Mr. Netanyahu in a telephone call on Monday that Washington would work with the new Palestinian government while continuing to watch it closely, according to a spokeswoman. | Secretary of State John Kerry told Mr. Netanyahu in a telephone call on Monday that Washington would work with the new Palestinian government while continuing to watch it closely, according to a spokeswoman. |
| Dore Gold, a senior adviser to Mr. Netanyahu, said afterward that “Israel is deeply disappointed by the U.S. position.” | Dore Gold, a senior adviser to Mr. Netanyahu, said afterward that “Israel is deeply disappointed by the U.S. position.” |
| The Obama administration is already under pressure from Israel’s allies on Capitol Hill over the $440 million the United States has allocated to the Palestinian Authority this year, money that the law bars from going to a government “over which Hamas exercises ‘undue influence.’ ” | The Obama administration is already under pressure from Israel’s allies on Capitol Hill over the $440 million the United States has allocated to the Palestinian Authority this year, money that the law bars from going to a government “over which Hamas exercises ‘undue influence.’ ” |
| Representative Nita M. Lowey of New York, the ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, said “funding for this unity government is in jeopardy” because of Hamas’s stance. Representative Ed Royce of California, the Republican chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said that the while the new government “hides behind the facade of nonpartisan bureaucrats, it was only born out of support from Hamas,” which “is no partner for peace, nor a legitimate recipient of aid.” | Representative Nita M. Lowey of New York, the ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, said “funding for this unity government is in jeopardy” because of Hamas’s stance. Representative Ed Royce of California, the Republican chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said that the while the new government “hides behind the facade of nonpartisan bureaucrats, it was only born out of support from Hamas,” which “is no partner for peace, nor a legitimate recipient of aid.” |
| Amid the diplomatic tension, there were also troubles on the ground. Around midnight Monday, according to a military spokeswoman, Israeli forces killed a Palestinian gunman who had shot and wounded a border police officer at the same West Bank intersection where a suspected suicide bomber was thwarted recently. | Amid the diplomatic tension, there were also troubles on the ground. Around midnight Monday, according to a military spokeswoman, Israeli forces killed a Palestinian gunman who had shot and wounded a border police officer at the same West Bank intersection where a suspected suicide bomber was thwarted recently. |
| The new government, led by Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah, a linguist and former university president who has held the top post in the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority for the past year, is made up largely of lawyers, businessmen and academics who are not formally tied to either Fatah or Hamas. The 16 ministers in his cabinet include three women and four Gaza residents, who were barred by Israel from traveling to attend Monday’s swearing-in. About half served in the previous government, including the two deputy prime ministers. | The new government, led by Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah, a linguist and former university president who has held the top post in the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority for the past year, is made up largely of lawyers, businessmen and academics who are not formally tied to either Fatah or Hamas. The 16 ministers in his cabinet include three women and four Gaza residents, who were barred by Israel from traveling to attend Monday’s swearing-in. About half served in the previous government, including the two deputy prime ministers. |
| The ceremony lasted about 10 minutes, as each minister swore to respect the law and serve the Palestinian people — one, the minister of tourism and archaeology, added, “in full” — before shaking hands with Mr. Hamdallah and Mr. Abbas. | The ceremony lasted about 10 minutes, as each minister swore to respect the law and serve the Palestinian people — one, the minister of tourism and archaeology, added, “in full” — before shaking hands with Mr. Hamdallah and Mr. Abbas. |
| The last-minute dispute with Hamas concerned the handling of Palestinians in Israeli prisons. Under international pressure over payments to prisoners, including those convicted of killing Israelis, Mr. Abbas plans to transfer their affairs from the government to the P.L.O.; when Hamas threatened Monday to withdraw its support for the new government, he agreed to temporarily maintain the ministry for prisoner affairs. There is also deep division over whether to continue security coordination with Israel. | The last-minute dispute with Hamas concerned the handling of Palestinians in Israeli prisons. Under international pressure over payments to prisoners, including those convicted of killing Israelis, Mr. Abbas plans to transfer their affairs from the government to the P.L.O.; when Hamas threatened Monday to withdraw its support for the new government, he agreed to temporarily maintain the ministry for prisoner affairs. There is also deep division over whether to continue security coordination with Israel. |
| Ismail Haniya, the outgoing Hamas prime minister, said Monday in Gaza: “We showed high flexibility in making this government successful.” | Ismail Haniya, the outgoing Hamas prime minister, said Monday in Gaza: “We showed high flexibility in making this government successful.” |
| “The government’s task will not be easy, and we will cooperate with it and embrace it,” he said. “We are leaving the chairs, but not leaving the role.” | “The government’s task will not be easy, and we will cooperate with it and embrace it,” he said. “We are leaving the chairs, but not leaving the role.” |
| Hamas won Palestinian elections in 2006. A year later, it took control of Gaza after a brief but bloody factional war there. It has been suffering politically and economically after a break with Iran over the Syrian civil war and, especially, a crackdown by Egypt’s new military-backed government that has plunged Gaza into economic crisis. | Hamas won Palestinian elections in 2006. A year later, it took control of Gaza after a brief but bloody factional war there. It has been suffering politically and economically after a break with Iran over the Syrian civil war and, especially, a crackdown by Egypt’s new military-backed government that has plunged Gaza into economic crisis. |
| Analysts said that the new government’s dominance by West Bankers and inclusion of several people close to Mr. Abbas showed Hamas’s weakness, but that many of the toughest tasks in reuniting the territories remain. | Analysts said that the new government’s dominance by West Bankers and inclusion of several people close to Mr. Abbas showed Hamas’s weakness, but that many of the toughest tasks in reuniting the territories remain. |
| “There is a lot of anger among Hamas and its constituency,” said Mkhaimer Abusaada, a political scientist at Al Azhar University in Gaza. “They feel they have been neglected by Abu Mazen and Abu Mazen is humiliating them. We are going to see many, many problems on the way.” | “There is a lot of anger among Hamas and its constituency,” said Mkhaimer Abusaada, a political scientist at Al Azhar University in Gaza. “They feel they have been neglected by Abu Mazen and Abu Mazen is humiliating them. We are going to see many, many problems on the way.” |
| But Shimrit Meir, the Israeli editor of an Arabic news website called The Source, said it was “a day of victory for Hamas” as well as Mr. Abbas. | But Shimrit Meir, the Israeli editor of an Arabic news website called The Source, said it was “a day of victory for Hamas” as well as Mr. Abbas. |
| “They got rid of the responsibility to feed the Gazans, which they cannot do anymore,” she said of Hamas. “They managed to reinvent themselves and buy more time.” | “They got rid of the responsibility to feed the Gazans, which they cannot do anymore,” she said of Hamas. “They managed to reinvent themselves and buy more time.” |
| Despite the deep yearnings for reconciliation among the Palestinian public, there were no celebrations Monday on the streets of Gaza or Ramallah, where about 100 people instead gathered in Manara Square to protest the notion of ending the prisoners’ ministry. Instead, skepticism and a sour mood seemed to prevail. | Despite the deep yearnings for reconciliation among the Palestinian public, there were no celebrations Monday on the streets of Gaza or Ramallah, where about 100 people instead gathered in Manara Square to protest the notion of ending the prisoners’ ministry. Instead, skepticism and a sour mood seemed to prevail. |
| “Same thing, just different faces,” scoffed a 47-year-old shawarma seller in Ramallah who gave his name only as Ibrahim. | “Same thing, just different faces,” scoffed a 47-year-old shawarma seller in Ramallah who gave his name only as Ibrahim. |
| Abdel Hadi Tulayb, a taxi driver, reflected the uncertainty shared by many of his neighbors. “Before this reconciliation it was a black-and-white situation,” he said. “Fatah is good and Hamas is bad, or vice versa. Now, we are united, but we don’t know what will happen later.” | Abdel Hadi Tulayb, a taxi driver, reflected the uncertainty shared by many of his neighbors. “Before this reconciliation it was a black-and-white situation,” he said. “Fatah is good and Hamas is bad, or vice versa. Now, we are united, but we don’t know what will happen later.” |
| In Gaza, Rabab Hassouna, who is 25 and unemployed, said he was happy about reconciliation but could not watch the swearing-in on television because there was no electricity. | In Gaza, Rabab Hassouna, who is 25 and unemployed, said he was happy about reconciliation but could not watch the swearing-in on television because there was no electricity. |
| President Abbas vowed in his speech to use all diplomatic and political means to respond to any forthcoming Israeli sanctions. | President Abbas vowed in his speech to use all diplomatic and political means to respond to any forthcoming Israeli sanctions. |
| “We are aware that we will face difficulties,” he said. “But the train of reconciliation has set off, and we will not go back to conflict and schism again.” | “We are aware that we will face difficulties,” he said. “But the train of reconciliation has set off, and we will not go back to conflict and schism again.” |