What Will the Palestinians’ New Government Look Like?

Last updated on: June 2, 2014 at 12:27 pm by Kermit Zarley

What Will the Palestinians’ New Government Look Like? 2014-06-02T12:27:29-07:00 Kermit Zarley

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

A few weeks ago, Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas announced that the PA and Hamas had agreed to lay aside their differences and join in a new unity government. Now, they plan to announce it tomorrow and provide details. What will it look like?

Abbas said it will consist only of apolitical technocrats, renounce violence, and recognize Israel’s right to exist. Wow! What a change. He also said the new government will be headed by current prime minister, Rami Hamdallah, a British-educated university president.

Of course, that’s been the position of the PA for many years now, but not that of Hamas. It’s Charter claims all of “the land of Palestine” and seems to call for the destruction of Israel. Many people will not accept this new Palestinian government until Hamas changes its Charter.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanayahu is one. He’s demanding that the world community reject this Palestinian change. And he threatened to impose hardship on Palestinians if it happens. What could that be? Israel collects taxes for the Palestinians in the West Bank and gives it to the PA. Israel has in the past temporarily whithheld that payment to the PA. Netanyahu could do that again.

Where does that leave the U.S.? It and the European Union (EU) are the Palestinians’ biggest donors, giving them hundreds of millions of U.S. dollars per year. Both say they want to see what the new Palestinian unity government looks like and thus give it a chance if it does indeed renounce terrorism and recognize Israel’s right to exist. Netanyahu doesn’t like that.

But the U.S. gives Israel $3 billion dollars per year and has been doing so for several decades. I don’t like that since Israel has continued for decades to defy the U.S. demands to disallow Jewish settlement activity in the West Bank, which has always harmed the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians. If this new unity Palestinian government renounces violence and recognizes Israel, yet Israel stops giving Palestinians their due tax money, I think its time for the U.S. to start reducing its huge financial support of Israel.

Current Events

Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

Hamas

Palestinian Authority

Previous Post

May 30, 2014

What Is the NBA's Lance Stephenson Going to Do Tonight?

Next Post

June 2, 2014 Phil Mickelson an Insider Trader? I Doubt It.

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Angels Billy Graham Blog Description Book Reviews Christian Living Christianity Christology Church History Current Events Deity of Christ? Disarmament Eschatology Evangelicalism Ezekiel 38-39 Film Reviews God Golf Gospel Harmonization Health History Holy Spirit Incarnation? Interview Islam Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Jesus Last Empire Literary Announcements Major Championship Winners Masters Monotheism My Books New Testament Old Testament Politics Primitive Weapons Ryder Cup Science Society of Biblical Literature The Bible The Restitution of Jesus Christ Trinitarianism Trinity? Uncategorized Unconditional Love? War on Terrorism

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What does "Sabbath" mean?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Holy Rest Feast Sacrifice

Books by This Author Books by Kermit Zarley Blog

See All Titles »