In a recent development, the Palestinian militant group Hamas has called on Russia to encourage Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to initiate negotiations for a national unity government in post-war Gaza. This appeal was made during high-level talks in Moscow between Mousa Abu Marzouk, a senior member of Hamas’s politburo, and Mikhail Bogdanov, Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister.
“We discussed issues related to Palestinian national unity and the creation of a government that should govern the Gaza Strip after the war,” Marzouk told the Russian state news agency RIA. He emphasized Hamas’s desire for Russia to play a mediating role, urging Abbas, who is currently attending the BRICS summit in Kazan, to commence unity government discussions.
The Palestinian Authority (PA), led by President Abbas, functions as the governing body of the occupied Palestinian territories. Established under the Oslo Accords three decades ago, the PA exercises limited governance over parts of the occupied West Bank—a region Palestinians envision as the heart of a future independent state. However, tensions between the PA, dominated by the Fatah political faction, and Hamas have persisted for years. Their strained relationship escalated into a brief but intense conflict in 2007, resulting in Fatah’s expulsion from Gaza.
Hamas’s outreach to Russia signifies a strategic move to bridge the longstanding divide with the PA and to establish a unified Palestinian government in Gaza after ongoing hostilities subside. However, this initiative faces external challenges. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has expressed strong opposition to any involvement of the PA in administering Gaza.
The proposal for a national unity government comes at a critical juncture, as regional dynamics shift and international actors like Russia engage more deeply in Middle Eastern affairs. The potential for reconciliation between Hamas and the PA could reshape the political landscape of the Palestinian territories and influence future negotiations for peace and statehood.
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Hamas wants Russia to push Palestinian president towards unity: report
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