RAMALLAH, West Bank — Paul Garnier, the Swiss ambassador to Palestine, visited the Gaza Strip through the Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing, which is controlled by Israel, twice in a short period. The first visit was on April 6, and the second on May 9. These visits attest to the Swiss’ intensified action regarding reconciliation between Hamas and Fatah, hoping to overcome the division that has plagued the Palestinian scene since 2007.
The issue of the Gaza Strip’s employees is considered one of the main disputes impeding reconciliation. It began when Hamas appointed about 40,000 employees to government ministries in Gaza after 2007 to replace previous employees, who are demanding to be employed on a full-time basis in the Palestinian Authority (PA). Switzerland is hoping to find solutions to this and other complex issues.
