Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Tuesday a new national unity government that includes rival Hamas must be in place and internationally recognized to manage humanitarian aid for Gaza and the West Bank.
Abbas said he hopes the upcoming round of reconciliation talks would lead Hamas to accept deals with Israel agreed to by previous Palestinian administrations even if they are not in line with the group's own political platform.
"When governments come, they respect and honor the obligations of a previous government," he said, prior to beginning of new talks scheduled for Wednesday. "That's what we ask."
Past efforts have failed to form a unity government between Hamas, which controls Gaza, and the more moderate Fatah movement led by Abbas, which controls the West Bank. Hamas, meanwhile, needs Fatah's international legitimacy to get foreign aid to rebuild Gaza, which was devastated in Israel's recent 22-day offensive.
Abbas said Tuesday that one reason previous unity governments failed was because key powers, including Israel and the United States, refused to accept a coalition that included Hamas, which refuses to recognize Israel's right to exist.
"This [new unity] government must have the acceptance and recognition of all parties," said Abbas, appearing at a brief news conference with Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg.
Abbas said he also hopes the right-wing Israeli government expected to be formed by Likud Party leader Benjamin Netanyahu will accept existing agreements, including those with the Palestine Liberation Organization.
"This must be the position by the Israeli government if we are to have fruitful negotiations," he said.
Abbas was a key player in secret Norwegian-led talks that led to the now-failed Oslo Agreement accords for Middle East peace. Norway was the first Western country to recognize the previous Fatah-Hamas coalition when it took power in 2007.
What is to be done between now and 2SS? | September 17, 2017 |
The settlers will rise in power in Israel's new government | March 14, 2013 |
Israeli Apartheid | March 14, 2013 |
Israel forces launch arrest raids across West Bank | March 14, 2013 |
This Court Case Was My Only Hope | March 14, 2013 |
Netanyahu Prepares to Accept New Coalition | March 14, 2013 |
Obama may scrap visit to Ramallah | March 14, 2013 |
Obama’s Middle East trip: Lessons from Bill Clinton | March 14, 2013 |
Settlers steal IDF tent erected to prevent Palestinian encampment | March 14, 2013 |
Intifada far off | March 14, 2013 |