Palestinian national unity has suffered a serious setback. Following a week of fighting between Fatah and Hamas, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has sacked the three-month old national unity government led by Hamas and imposed a state of emergency. Hamas has taken control of almost all of the Gaza Strip. President Abbas’ writ is now limited to the West Bank. This means that there is a de facto split between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, with the President and his Fatah group in control of the West Bank and Hamas in charge in Gaza.  The two geographically separate territories will now have different rulers. The Palestinian quest for an independent state has been dealt a severe blow from within. This fragmentation of the Palestinian movement will render the Palestinians weaker in their dealings with Israel. However, Israel’s position has not become more comfortable. On the face of it, Israel has got itself a more amenable ally in Abbas. But while Abbas will look to Israel and the US for support, his weakened position might make it difficult for him to deliver on any of his agreements with Israel. Israel will also have to now contend with a victorious Hamas in charge of Gaza. The security situation in the region is deteriorating too. There is concern that fighting between Fatah and Hamas will now spread to the West Bank and perhaps to countries like Jordan, which have huge Palestinian populations.
The US and Israel are said to be considering easing sanctions on the West Bank in a bid to boost Abbas’ position. But the gesture comes rather late.  Abbas’ decline and defeat in Gaza is in part the result of Israel’s reluctance to engage honestly with him. His effort to negotiate with Israel was rudely rejected by the latter. In the process, his position at home was weakened.
Those living in the Gaza Strip are no strangers to economic hardship but under Hamas rule, their privations are likely to touch new levels as the international isolation of Gaza is expected to increase. Western donors had cut off aid to the Palestinian Authority following Hamas’ victory in  elections in March. They can be expected to tighten the blockade of Gaza, now that Hamas is in clear control here.