On Nov. 26, Al-Khaleej Online quoted an anonymous official in the Egyptian Foreign Ministry as saying that Egypt is leaning toward officially reopening and operating the consulate in Gaza.

Media reports about the embassy were preceded on Nov. 21 by Egypt's temporary opening of its consulate west of Gaza City — for the first time since its closure in 2007 after Hamas’ takeover of Gaza — for cleanup and renovation. The move added to speculation about the potential official reopening of the consulate, which would ease the movement of Palestinians through the Rafah crossing and facilitate relations with the Egyptian community in Gaza.

Egypt and the other members of the Arab Quartet (Jordan, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates) have been pressuring Abbas to reconcile with Dahlan , who might then succeed the 81-year-old Abbas. Not only did Abbas not comply, he opened Fatah’s seventh congress Nov. 29 while completely excluding Dahlan and his supporters. Abbas was re-elected to lead Fatah for a five-year term.

According to the reports, Egypt has threatened Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas with moving the Egyptian Embassy to Gaza from the city of Ramallah in the West Bank. The news comes from the Fateh Voice website, among other media outlets with ties to Mohammed Dahlan , who was dismissed in 2011 as leader of the Fatah nationalist political party after a split with Abbas.

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip — Gaza could be getting a status upgrade to become an embassy headquarters for Egypt, though Egyptian officials declined to comment on media reports to that effect.

Al-Monitor contacted the Egyptian Embassy in Ramallah and the Foreign Ministry in Cairo to ask about the reports that the embassy might be relocated, but both refused to make any statements in this regard.

However, Abdul Hamid al-Masry, a close associate of Dahlan, told Al-Monitor it is "very likely" that the consulate in Gaza will be officially reopened soon "without Egyptian official relations with the PLO or the work of the Egyptian Embassy in Ramallah being affected.”

He added, “According to the Fatah reformist current [led by Dahlan], a security and political Egyptian delegation will visit Gaza to monitor the situation in the Gaza Strip and discuss with the factions the steps needed for the advancement of the Palestinian cause and achievement of internal reconciliation.”

Masry said that if Egypt does reopen the consulate and implement its pledges to loosen restrictions on the Rafah crossing and establish a free-trade zone between Gaza and Egypt, it will bode well for the beginning of a new relationship. This development would be welcome after years of polarization, especially with Hamas, which governs the Gaza Strip.

But Ahmad Majdalani, a member of the PLO Executive Committee and a close associate of Abbas, called Hamas "a de facto illegitimate government" and told Al-Monitor, "Any cooperation with this government would be unacceptable.” He added, “Our embassy in Cairo is taking care of the required measures for citizens to travel to and from the Gaza Strip through the Rafah crossing.”

Majdalani said the rumors that Egypt is renovating its consulate in Gaza because of Abbas' refusal to reconcile with Dahlan are illusions promoted by some media outlets to suggest Egypt is supporting Dahlan against the Palestinian Authority, which is recognized at the Arab and international levels. If Egypt reopened its Gaza consulate, it would have to deal with Hamas and not Dahlan, who does not have strong influence in Gaza, Majdalani pointed out.

But relations between Egypt and Gaza have seen a breakthrough over the past few weeks, after Egypt invited Palestinian political, economic and media delegations from Gaza to visit to discuss the internal Palestinian situation. Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya said in a Nov. 3​ statement to the press, “Egypt has adopted a new vision toward the Gaza Strip to alleviate the siege imposed on the people."

As for appearances, Hussam al-Dajani, a political analyst and diplomat in the Palestinian Foreign Ministry in Gaza, told Al-Monitor that in terms of diplomatic customs, any country can open an embassy in any state and have representative offices in other areas of that state. That situation applies to Gaza and the West Bank, which are geographically separated by Israel. Because of the separation, he said, some countries with embassies in the West Bank have affiliated consulates in Gaza, including Qatar, Germany and Sweden.

Even if Egypt's intentions are the result of the deepening disputes between Abbas and Dahlan, as reported, Dajani pointed out that whatever the reasons behind reopening the consulate, such a step would benefit the people of Gaza and the Egyptian diaspora there.

Dajani said that during December, Egypt is likely to deliver on the promises it made to Gaza and establish a free-trade zone on the border, which will help develop the Rafah crossing and increase the number of days it is open.

On the other hand, Tayseer Muhaisen, a professor of international relations at the Islamic University of Gaza, told Al-Monitor Egypt is unlikely to reopen its Gaza consulate at this time. He pointed out that in international relations, opening a consulate in an area experiencing internal disputes represents a bias toward one party over another. He expects Palestinians to formally reject the idea.

Muhaisen stressed that Egypt still perceives the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip as a security threat, despite Egypt's recent steps toward Gaza to renew relations with the Palestinians. That perception is a result of the failure to implement the "Arab Road Map" aimed at ending internal Fatah differences due to Abbas’ refusal to reconcile with Dahlan and the differences between Fatah and Hamas.

The tension between Egypt and Abbas reached its peak when Egypt abstained from sending an official delegation — for the first time ever — to Fatah’s congress. Mohamed Orabi, a former Egyptian foreign minister, attended the congress, but only in his personal capacity. Gazans are now watching and waiting for a visit from the Egyptian delegation to the consulate.