Hamas: Next Palestinian government will be located in Gaza

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Hamas PM adviser states that Hamas will support Palestinian efforts to receive UN recognition; says goal of all Palestinian factions is a state on 1967 borders with capital in Jerusalem.

Fatah and Hamas have agreed that the next Palestinian government will be located in the Gaza Strip, and hence the next head of the Palestinian government will be from Gaza, an adviser to Hamas Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh said on Saturday.

Ahmed Yousef summarized the political program of all Palestinian factions which he said is the establishment of a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders with its capital in Jerusalem.

Yousef added that Hamas would support Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas' efforts to receive full membership for Palestine at United Nations institutions.

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/hamas-next-palestinian-government-will-be-located-in-gaza-1.396456

[Quartermass]

1. Poor Israel

Edited in case someone confuses me for a conservative.

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2. So, a question, why would they do this, move the government to Gaza?

The thing that pops into my mind is that Gaza is not occupied, although subject to attack, it is under Palestinian military and political control and likely to stay that way. The only semi-sovereign turf they have.

[Donald Ian Rankin]

3. My guess, and it is only a guess, is that it's because Gaza is Hamas territory.

A government centred in Gaza is likely to be influenced by Hamas more and Fatah less than one in the WB, I would think.

On the other hand, it may be a price worth paying - at the moment the three non-state non-solution looks horribly likely; the only way I can see of preventing that is elections in which the PA oust Hamas, and this might - conceivably - be a step towards that. I'm not terribly optimistic, though.

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4. Hamas would like it yes, but for Fatah to go along seems odd on its face.

Which is why I don't really believe this, yet anyway. But as you say, it might be considered worth it to get out from under IDF control. Then there is the question of how much of an election will be allowed. Wait and see ...