Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas offered March 16 to go to the Gaza Strip for unity talks with his Hamas rivals.
“I declare that I am ready to go to Gaza tomorrow to end the split and form a new government,” Abbas reportedly said in a speech to senior members of his Fatah Party.
His gesture to Hamas suggests he has given up on reaching peace with Israel and will instead seek internal reconciliation at the risk of jeopardizing relations with the West. The United States, the European Union and Israel classify Hamas as a terror group.
Abbas has not visited Gaza since Hamas expelled his forces in a five-day civil war in 2007. Since then, his Palestinian Authority has ruled only the West Bank.
Abbas’ announced intention to visit Gaza came a day after Israel intercepted an arms shipment allegedly being sent by Iran to Hamas. — ap