TEL AVIV – Following three days of reconciliation meetings in Russia, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah party has agreed to form a unity government with Gaza-based terror group Hamas.
After many months of concern that the military forces of Libya’s divided government would never be able to work effectively against the Islamic State, there is encouraging news that a major Libyan offensive against the ISIS stronghold of Sirte is underway.
The new Libyan “unity” government took a long time to reach the capital of Tripoli, because the Islamist warlords in control of the city would not let them use a plane. They had to sail from Tobruk to Tripoli by boat. They made port at the end of March, but did not get much further than the fortified naval base, where the “Government of National Accord” remains ensconced.
The authorities in Libya’s capital Tripoli reportedly announced Tuesday that they were relinquishing power to the United Nations-backed unity government.
The U.N. envoy has been blocked from flying into Tripoli, which is the national capital, but not the current headquarters of the internationally-recognized legitimate government.
U.S. officials admitted to Voice of America News on Wednesday they are deeply concerned about the Islamic State’s growing strength in Africa, emanating from their stronghold in Libya, but could offer only disturbingly vague talk of assembling an anti-ISIS “coalition” to address the problem.
After a few failed attempts, it appears Libya’s feuding factions have finally agreed upon a U.N.-backed proposal to form a unity government. Unfortunately, support for the plan is not universal, and it remains to be seen if the framework will evolve into a fully-functional, enduring national government.
