Questions unanswered as Israel offers low-key response to Palestinian unity

Published: 14 October 2017

Last updated: 4 March 2024

Israel offers muted criticism of the deal as key questions linger: What is in it for Hamas? Did the PA demand a halt to Hamas terrorism? If so, did Hamas agree?

Fatah-Hamas unity: Rub your eyes in disbelief (Times of Israel)
AVI ISSACHARAOFF Thursday's reconciliation deal is full of holes and leaves key questions unanswered. But it's what Egypt wanted and Cairo proved capable of bending the sides to its will

Netanyahu can only hope the Palestinians will thwart the reconciliation deal (Haaretz)
BARAK RAVID The cautious restraint and diplomatic language of the Israeli response to the reconciliation deal between Fatah and Hamas are nothing less than amazing

What’s behind Jerusalem’s tepid condemnation of Palestinian unity (Times of Israel)
Relatively muted Israeli criticism of Fatah-Hamas reconciliation is likely due to American and Egyptian investment in it -- and the dire state of Gaza

Palestinian reconciliation shows that Hamas sees something Israel doesn't (Haaretz)
AMOS HAREL The desire not to return to an unstoppable deterioration in ties with Abbas, like the one that led to the 2014 war, is what led Hamas' decision on reconciliation

Photo: Fatah's Azzam al-Ahmad, right, and Saleh al-Arouri, left, of Hamas sign the deal (AFP)