infopalThe new Palestinian unity government has been welcomed by numerous bodies and organizations, both in the occupied Palestinian territories and in Israel, and also worldwide.
The Turkish foreign affairs ministry described the new government as "a new hope".
The Israeli peace bloc, Gush Shalom, described it as "good news for Israelis as well as for Palestinians."
The Gaza Community Mental Health Programme (GCMHP) says it represents "the national will of all the Palestinian people in their efforts for gaining their legitimate rights of freedom, independence, and dignified life."
Challenges
In press releases, all three parties recognised the severe challenges facing the new Palestinian government. The Turkish foreign ministry highlighted the "hardships of the Palestinian people" and the need "to consolidate the internal peace, and to refunctionalize the institutions in Palestine."
Turkey acknowledged that, "Reception of [the] international community’s full support is a main requirement for the Government to fulfill this mission duly and to respond to the expectations of the people." The Turkish foreign ministry said that it hopes that this new government will "be instrumental in reestablishing an atmosphere of dialogue between Palestine and Israel" and in "reactivating the peace process."
GCMHP states that this unity government is "a huge challenge that Palestinians should surpass in order to break the international position of siege, boycott and sanctions."
GCMHP also highlighted the "the state of lawlessness and the absence of law" in the occupied Palestinian territories.
Gush Shalom says that the challenge is ensuring that Israel deals with this new government. "This government could and should be Israels partner for negotiations and for peace, Gush Shalom’s spokesman Adam Keller says in a press release.
In a telegram sent to the Israeli prime minister, the Israeli peace group said: Your career is fast approaching its ignominious end. If you still want to save something from this debacle, Mr. Prime Minster, it is not enough to make pathetic speeches. If your reaction to the new Palestinian government is to launch a new military incursion and invasion into the heart of Nablus, then indeed your being Prime Minster [sic] is unnecessary and harmful. Precisely a year ago you got the voters’ confidence, Mr. Olmert, on the strength of promising to act to end the occupation. When you do the precise opposite, your government has lost the last shred of justification for its continued existence."
Turkey’s foreign ministry calls on "all the parties to act with common sense and in awareness of responsibility." Turkey also urges the international community "to adopt an unbiased and encouraging approach" towards the new government.
The Gaza Community Mental Health Programme urges "the whole world and all Palestinian friends to work diligently in order to break the political and economical siege imposed on Palestinians as well as dealing with the new national unity government as it resembles the Palestinian national will."
GCMHP also warns of "negative repercussions" if the new government fails to achieve inter-Palestinian reconciliation. "This could be reflected in the re-appearance of previous phenomena of social and familial disputes in a matter that threaten the personal and general security of Palestinians and escalate the state of lawlessness," GCMHP warned in a press release