UN envoy Serry visits Gaza to meet new Palestinian unity government ministers

Special Middle East coordinator pledges United Nations support for reconciliation between Gaza, West Bank.

By JPOST.COM STAFF
Robert Serry (photo credit: UN Photo/Devra Berkowitz)
Robert Serry
(photo credit: UN Photo/Devra Berkowitz)
The United Nation's special envoy to the Middle East Robert Serry visited the Gaza Strip on Sunday for the first time since an interim Palestinian unity government was sworn in last week.
Serry met with four newly-appointed officials of the unity government and pledged UN support for Palestinian reconciliation.
"I congratulated the Ministers on their appointment and discussed with them the many practical challenges ahead,” the UN special coordinator said in a statement.
"Gazans must, as soon as possible, feel the dividends of unity. Open crossings both for goods and people, access to construction material, re-establishing trade links between the West Bank and Gaza and exports are urgently needed to kickstart the economy and create job opportunities,”  he stated.
Israel has appealed to the international community to reject the Fatah and Hamas-backed unity government, as Jerusalem recognizes the later as a terror organization.
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu has called on Abbas to reverse the move and end cooperation with Hamas.
During his visit to the coastal Palestinian enclave, Serry expressed the UN's call for all sides to "refrain from unhelpful actions" at the time when peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians have desisted.
"We count on a constructive approach by all stakeholders, including Israel, and urge all to refrain from unhelpful actions," he said.