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Palestinian Reconciliation Hobbled by Continued Disunity

(Reuters) Nidal Al-Mughrabi - The new Palestinian unity government will provide a veneer of harmony but little change on the ground, analysts say. The government, packed with little-known technocrats and academics, will manage day-to-day problems like a glorified municipality, but decisions regarding diplomacy and security will be taken elsewhere. "Such a government won't be able to end the divisions. It is rather a political body aimed at managing the division," said Hani Al-Masri, a West Bank political analyst. "Forming a government is a symbolic step. It is a good step, but we should not exaggerate the expectations," said George Giacaman, the dean of graduate studies at the West Bank's Birzeit University. "For the Israelis, it is not a very good idea to let Hamas maneuver tactically for the purpose of trying to increase its power ultimately both in the West Bank and the PLO, while maintaining exclusive control in Gaza," said Ehud Yaari, a fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy. "Abbas has accepted the principle of a demilitarized Palestinian state, but Gaza is not demilitarized. Nothing is going to change."
2014-06-03 00:00:00
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