Egypt and the United States push Palestinian rivals to apply makeup

Egypt has deployed plans to try to form a unity government between Fatah, which heads the West Bank via the Palestinian Authority, and Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip. At the same time, the United Nations has embarked on a diplomatic shuttle blitz, trying to build trust between the two sides, whose split more than a decade ago has shaken efforts to forge a peaceful peace. two states with Israel. . Both sides are wary of each other and a series of reconciliation efforts have failed since Hamas took full control of the Gaza sea enclave, 25 years long. miles, in 2007 after a bloody battle with Fatah. Israel and Egypt have imposed a blockade on Gaza and the Palestinian Authority has contributed to the pressure by stopping payments to Gaza's employees and reducing payments for electricity supplied by Israel.

Hamas immediately accepted Egypt's plan for Fatah and Hamas. Fatah is sending a delegation to Egypt next week to discuss it.

"We hope to reach a comprehensive agreement with timelines and dates," said Saeb Erekat, a senior Fatah official. wants empowerment for people and the law, but not for Fatah. Hamas told the Egyptian secret service on Thursday that it was accepting its offer of reconciliation, according to Hamas officials.

Peace efforts have taken on new urgency following the violence between Hamas and Israel, which has waged three wars since 2008. [19659003] Gazans held weekly demonstrations at the border fence with Israel, which reacted to sometimes violent demonstrations with live fire, killing more than 100 people. Israel says that many of those it killed were militants, while others ignored warnings to stay away from its security fence. Palestinians also threw mortars, flaming balloons and kites across the border, triggering Israeli airstrikes. Palestinian officials say the protesters are mostly unarmed.

The new efforts give the impression that the economic and humanitarian situation in Gaza has become so bleak that it threatens Israel and the peace process. The unemployment rate in Gaza is 43.6% and 60% among 15-29 year olds. The band only has four hours of power a day.

Trump administration officials claim that conditions of access to Gaza are a key element of a comprehensive peace agreement that the administration plans to unveil in the coming months . The Trump administration has supported the UN and Egyptian efforts to revive Palestinian reconciliation, as well as efforts to achieve a broader ceasefire, although it has not been directly involved because the Palestinian Authority cut contacts with the United States. In December, he was moving his embbady to Jerusalem.

Israel, the United States and other international powers are eager to provide aid to Gaza, but do not want to do it if it goes directly to Hamas. Washington and Israel regard Hamas as a terrorist organization. Giving control of the Palestinian Authority to Gaza could alleviate these concerns.

Nickolay Mladenov,

The United Nations Special Coordinator for Peace in the Middle East has shuttled between Israel, Gaza and other players during the past week. Since Monday, he has traveled to Ramallah to meet with Fatah leaders, traveled to Gaza twice to meet with Hamas leaders, and met earlier this week with the Israeli prime minister.

Benjamin Netanyahu.

"Our work is focused on restoring unity between Gaza and the West Bank under a democratic government and under a legal system where all weapons are under the control of a legitimate national authority", Mr. Mladenov told the United Nations Security Council. , reflecting demands made by Fatah, which largely controls the Palestinian Authority

. Mladenov wants to immediately introduce small projects that the Palestinian Authority can lead to Gaza to boost confidence in Hamas that Fatah can badume more responsibility, according to Western diplomats.

But more important projects, such as the construction of a power plant in Gaza, have to wait for the Palestinian Authority to control the Gaza Strip, say the diplomats.

Western diplomats said that there were signs that neither side would compromise to break the stalemate

The Palestinian Authority will not accept not take on Gaza unless you have total control of the band, including tax revenues, courts and security. Hamas agreed to give up some control in Gaza but refused to give up its weapons.

"We hope," said Mr. Erekat, when he asked if he thought Hamas would abandon its military wing. "Because we need it."

He said that Palestinian unity was needed because the Trump administration had shown unwavering support for Mr. Netanyahu's government.

Even if Palestinians were to reconcile, Israel presents a complicating factor. Israel wants the Palestinian Authority to control Gaza, but it is wary of the elections that the authorities would have had because Hamas could win a place in a Palestinian government, said

Nathan Thrall,

head of the Israeli-Arab project of the International Crisis Group.

"Israel is facing its own internal contradiction regarding Gaza policy," he said. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Netanyahu and Israel declined to comment

Israeli officials want other international donors to follow the pattern of Qatar to channel aid to Gaza. In recent years, Qatar has developed projects worth hundreds of millions of dollars in the Gaza Strip, but is monitoring equipment and funds to ensure that they do not fall into the hands of Hamas. Qatar financially supports Hamas, but its way of bringing humanitarian aid to Gaza has garnered Israel's direct consent and support.

Write to Felicia Schwartz at [email protected]