by Seth J. Frantzman
Fatah spokesperson Maher al-Namoura says the Palestinian Authority is ready to govern and rebuild Gaza as ceasefire talks and discussions on the strip’s future continue.
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The Palestinian Authority is capable of managing and rebuilding Gaza, according to Fatah spokesperson Maher al-Namoura. spoke with Al-Hadath in a post that the Arabic media channel put on social media. He made his remarks in a recent discussion with Al Hadath, a Saudi interactive news channel.
This reflects the PA’s policy since 2007 – when it was illegally pushed out of Gaza in 2007 by Hamas – that it should govern Gaza. Fatah is the largest faction within the PA.
These days, such comments matter a bit more because there is a ceasefire in Gaza. Israel and Hamas are also supposed to be entering discussions about the second phase of the hostage deal and ceasefire.The first phase ends in another two weeks. Israeli leaders have not spoken much about the second phase.Namoura’s appearance on Al Hadath followed several recent comments he made to media outlets. Fatah welcomes the position of Egypt, Jordan, and other Arab countries against displacing Palestinians from Gaza, he said. He was also quoted as dismissing US President Donald Trump’s assertion that the US could take control of Gaza.Namoura was briefly detained by Israeli security forces in Dura on February 1, according to Al-Quds, a Palestinian newspaper based in east Jerusalem. His comments about Gaza should be seen within this context.
It is clear that Gaza is in play these days, especially since there are so many comments about its future. While Trump has said Gazans could be resettled elsewhere, he has also called for other countries to pay for rebuilding Gaza, which he considers to be a demolition site because of the damage from the war.
Meanwhile, Hamas has refused to disarm. Hamas official Osama Hamdan made that clear recently. There could be some flexibility in terms of creating a technocratic government in which Hamas continues to pull the strings behind the curtain and feels it has won the war, but it also finds a way to include a veneer of rule by some others.There are other moves afoot. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in Israel over the weekend and continues to say Hamas should be eradicated.Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seems to agree with Trump’s plan, and some Israeli officials have begun to channel Trump’s talking point of “hell breaking loose” if Hamas doesn’t comply with the ceasefire’s terms. Some right-wing politicians also want a return to fighting in Gaza.
Other moves are taking place. Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff recently spoke with officials in Israel, Egypt, and Qatar, Arab News reported Monday. He is working on phase 2 of the deal and bringing the hostages home. Like Trump, Witkoff has been a passionate advocate for the hostages.
Many freed hostages have thanked Trump for freeing them. Trump has also given Israel a free hand in Gaza, saying Israel can do whatever it wants.Palestinian Authority in Gaza for the long-term
It seems to be a long shot for the PA to run Gaza. It wasn’t able to run it well from 2005-2007, and that allowed Hamas to take it over.
The PA received some help to shore up its own security in the West Bank with the work of US Gen. Keith Dayton, who served as US security coordinator to the Palestinian Authority. Nevertheless, the PA has seen its power eroded in the West Bank over time. How could it move back to Gaza without support?Israel’s current government doesn’t support the PA running Gaza, and Arab states have not stepped forward with a plan. It’s possible the Trump doctrine of stirring the grass might result in some kind of change, but much still remains in the air.
Seth J. Frantzman
Source: https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-842457
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