In a surprise turn of events, leaders of Hamas and Fateh announced on April 27 that they had reached a deal for Palestinian national unity after four years of internal division. The announcement, made in Cairo, took almost everyone by surprise after repeated failed efforts to reach a reconciliation agreement. The two sides agreed to form an interim government of technocrats and set a date for general elections within a year. Azzam Al Ahmad, a leading Fateh figure and part of the reconciliation delegation in Cairo, said the new government would represent a wide sector of Palestinians. "We are proud that we now possess the national will to end our divisions so we can end the occupation of Palestine," Ahmad said during a press conference in Cairo.

Almost immediately after the announcement of the reconciliation, Israel began making threats. "The Palestinian Authority must choose either peace with Israel or peace with Hamas,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a televised statement. “There is no possibility for peace with both."

Presidential advisor Nabil Abu Rdeineh retorted that internal Palestinian issues such as reconciliation are “not Israel’s concern,” and that "Netanyahu must choose between a just peace with the united Palestinian people ... and settlements."

Al Ahmad was equally as firm. Abu Mazen (Abbas) has said we want Hamas; Hamas is part of the Palestinian national fabric," he said.

The White House was a bit more cautious with its concerns, pointing to its position that Hamas was "a terrorist organization" and that any Palestinian government would have to renounce violence. Some in the US government were less diplomatic, openly calling on the US to cut financial ties with the Palestinians should Fateh reconcile with Hamas. US House Foreign Affairs Chairwoman, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, released a statement on April 28 saying "According to existing U.S. law, such a hybrid government cannot be a recipient of U.S. taxpayer funds because the law stipulates that the PA government must recognize the Jewish state of Israel’s right to exist, among other things. Therefore, in order to implement existing law, the U.S. must end assistance to the Palestinian Authority."

On April 29, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon said in a statement that he “welcomes efforts being made to promote Palestinian reconciliation and the important contribution of Egypt in this regard."

A spokesperson for the UN chief said Ban "hopes that reconciliation will now take place in a manner that promotes the cause of peace, security and non-violence."

Egypt, which played a pivotal role in bringing the parties together, has sent out the invitations to Palestinian factions to meet in Cairo for the signing of the final deal on May 5. Hamas chief Khaled Meshaal will sign the document with President Abbas in the presence of representatives from the various Palestinian factions.

One point Abbas says will be a priority for the interim government is the reconstruction of Gaza, which continues to be held hostage to Israel’s siege. On April 29, Egypt’s foreign minister Nabil Al Arabi announced that Egypt would permanently open the Rafah border crossing so as to ease the blockade. In a television interview, Al Arabi said his country would take "important steps to help ease the blockade on Gaza in the coming few days, saying Egypt would no longer accept that the Rafah border remained blocked. He described his country's decision to seal it off –under former president Hosni Mubarak - as "shameful."

The announcement rang warning bells for Israel, of course. Israeli officials said they were “very concerned” about the implications of an open border with Egypt, saying they could have grave regional consequences.

On April 28, Israeli fire injured four Palestinians in central Gaza, including a woman and two children. According to eyewitnesses, three artillery shells were fired into farm lands east of Breij refugee camp. While Israel admitted to killing civilians, it justified it by saying “terrorists” were trying to plant explosives in the area. "Uninvolved civilians have apparently been injured. The [army] regrets that terrorists choose to operate from within civilian populations,” a statement said.

Meanwhile, Israeli forces continued to crack down on the weekly non-violent protests in the West Bank village of Bilin. Ten-year old Mohammed Burnat was injured by a tear gas canister that hit his leg.

On April 24, one settler was shot and killed in Nablus and four others injured. A group of 15 settlers entered Nablus without prior coordination with the PA or the Israeli army to visit Joseph’s Tomb. Apparently, the settlers did not stop at a Palestinian check post set up by the police after which policemen opened fire, first in the air, and then at their cars.

"I still don't understand why they didn’t tell the Israeli military about the visit,” said Nablus governor Jibrin Al Bakri. We've hosted senior Israeli personalities and Jewish rabbis here before. Even the Israeli chief of staff visited. We welcomed them all," he said.