[Ynet] Full cost of reconstruction expected to be around $4 billion over three years, Palestinian PM says; rebuilding Strip will require 10,000 tons of cement a day coming into Gaza over the next 6 months. That compares with just 30 tons a week entering the territory before the war.
The ability to press ahead with reconstruction depends not just on raising the money but on Hamas, the Islamist faction that dominates Gaza, allowing the Palestinian Authority to resume civil administration and border controls in the enclave.
Hamas and Fatah, which leads the Palestinian Authority, agreed in April to form a "unity government", but efforts to put that agreement into force have so far failed. Unless progress is made on forging a unity deal that works, donors are likely to be reluctant to commit money to Gaza.
"All donor countries have made a condition, they want to deal with the unity government," said Hamdallah. "If the government is not enabled in the Gaza Strip, there will be problems over reconstruction."
Mahmoud al-Zahar of Hamas dismissed the unity government idea, describing it as a "government of failure", an indication of just how hard it will be to reconcile the factions and make progress on rebuilding Gaza.
| Bottom line: No Gaza reconstruction until further notice, which is why Gazans have started quietly emigrating in their hundreds. |
|