On Sunday, UN Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process Robert Serry met with four ministers of the new unity government -- Haifa al-Agha, the minister of women's affairs, Mamoun Abu Shahla, the minister of labor, Mufeed al-Hasayneh, the minister of public works and housing, and Salim al-Saqqa, the minister of justice.

"I congratulated the Ministers on their appointment and discussed with them the many practical challenges ahead,” the UN official said following the meeting, assuring the Gaza-based ministers that the international body is ready to increase its operations in Gaza, with water and energy being a priority.

“Gazans must, as soon as possible, feel the dividends of unity. Open crossings both for goods and people, access to construction material, re-establishing trade links between the West Bank and Gaza and exports are urgently needed to kickstart the economy and create job opportunities,” Serry added.

In April, Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas signed an agreement to end years of rivalry and form a unity government.

Angered by the unity pact between the rival Palestinian factions, the Tel Aviv regime suspended the so-called peace talks with the Palestinian Authority on April 24 and threatened to impose further sanctions against Palestinians.

The new cabinet was sworn in before Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian national unity government, in the West Bank city of Ramallah on June 2. The cabinet is led by Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah and has 17 ministers including five from the Hamas movement.

The European Union and the United States have announced plans to work with the new government. The UN has also hailed the formation of the Palestinian unity government.

The Zionist regime has been annoyed with the formation of the unity government and international support for it.

NTJ/MB