Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas arrives in China
Al JazeeraMAY 2023
Though talk of "unity" between Palestinian factions has become increasingly common, it seems unlikely that Hamas will accept Abbas’s conditions for joining a unity government — which include recognizing UN resolutions pertaining to the Arab-Israeli conflict and the agreements signed between Israel and what is now the PA. Indeed, Abbas is between a rock and a hard place, as he needs to balance the popularity of extremist groups with his own agenda. Unity will likely not be found any time soon.
As the conflict between the disparate Palestinian resistance factions and Israel reaches a new chapter, the resistance seeks to unify in the face of an internally divided enemy. Though Abbas often acts as a private contractor of the occupation, it would be wise for the PA to acknowledge the popularity and influence of resistance factions like PIJ and improve relations with them.