The unity drive also marked a return to prominence of exiled former Gaza security chief Mohammed Dahlan, once one of Hamas's fiercest enemies and now a leading figure in regional efforts to pull the territory back into the Palestinian mainstream.Dahlan, based since 2011 in the United Arab Emirates, is behind an influx of cash to prop up Gaza and detente between Hamas and Arab states including Egypt, which hosted reconciliation talks. ISRAEL SKEPTICAL Michael Oren, deputy minister for diplomacy in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's cabinet, played down the unity drive, saying "it happens every two or three years" and that Hamas remains dedicated to Israel's destruction."One of the issues is whether Hamas will be able to retain its arms. If it does then it's a non-starter for Israel," he said.Clear message from #civilsociety in #Gaza: ‘people put their hands on their heart and wait to see’. Small steps are needed in the beginning. Solving the #electricity crisis will help build trust in #reconciliation pic.twitter.com/Nzjh8nWEhe
— Nickolay E. MLADENOV (@nmladenov) October 2, 2017
Ksenia Svetlova a lawmaker from the opposition Zionist Union Party said that "If completed, the return of control of Gaza to the Palestinian Authority is good news."She however went on to remind that" This is not the first time Gaza and Ramallah have agreed to form a unity government and in the past the process was never completed, despite the promises and declarations. We in Israel can only accept this move if it brings control of the border crossings between Israel and Gaza and Gaza and Egypt under Palestinian Authority's responsibility." Abbas' pressure over the past several months on Hamas to loosen its grip included halting electricity payments to Israeli suppliers, a sanction that caused extensive daily blackouts in Gaza.Abbas also cut wages to civil servants still on the unity government's payroll, a move that deepened economic hardship in an area long under partial blockade by Israel and Egypt, which cite security concerns for border restrictions.Hamdallah, accompanied by security men from the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority and Hamas forces, was scheduled to hold talks with Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and tour Shejaia, a neighborhood heavily damaged by Israeli bombardment in a 2014 war with Gaza militants.On Tuesday, the Palestinian unity cabinet will meet in Gaza."The agenda is crowded with ideas and projects," Culture Minister Ehad Bseisso said. "We need to ... push the wheel of reconciliation forward, to create a positive atmosphere." In addition to setting a date for holding presidential and parliamentary elections, rival factions will have to resolve the issue of the fate of the 40,000 to 50,000 civil and military staff Hamas had hired since 2007.