Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia have reconciled, following weeks of discord and strained relations.
Palestinian sources said Monday that the two Palestinian leaders mended their differences during a meeting.
The source said that several Palestinian public figures, including former ministers, Fatah members and Egyptian officials have spent the past several days trying to bridge the gap between the two, until they finally reconciled Monday.
Abbas telephoned Qureia to invite him to a meeting where the two agreed to put their differences aside.
This "renewed friendship" is set to ease the task of assembling a new Palestinian government. It will also reaffirm Qureia's standing as head of this new leadership.
The former goverment was forced to dissolve due to the recent chaos in Gaza.
Source: Fatah must demonstrate united front
A personal credibility crisis developed between the two leaders over the past few months. Associates close to Abbas claimed the Palestinian prime minister was trying to advance his own personal agenda and attempted to increase anti-Abbas support within the Fatah party.
A special parliamentary committee established to deal with the security anarchy within the PA determined that one of the central obstacles to the Palestinian struggle against the anarchy was the fact that the two leaders, Abbas and Qureia, do not communicate.
Over the past several days, associates close to Abbas even presented the chairman with several possible candidates to replace Qureia, including Deputy Prime Minister Nabil Shaath.
Following this reconciliation, a new government will be assembled to serve temporarily until general elections are to take place in January.
It seems that Qureia will continue to head this new government.
One Palestinian source said it is important for the Fatah party to demonstrate a unified front against Hamas and Israel, in preparation for upcoming elections.
"Israel exploited the tension between the two leaders and even tried to inflame it, after Israeli intelligence officials reported that Abu Ala (Qureia) interferes with Abu Mazen (Abbas) and is an obstacle to controlling law and order in the Palestinian Authority," he said.
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