Who will run Gaza the day after? In discussions taking place in the United States and Arab countries, the possibility was raised that a body would be established to manage the Gaza Strip and be responsible for its reconstruction.
According to one proposal, the task would be assigned to a mechanism that would operate in the form of a "national executive committee" or a government of "technocrats," referring to independent individuals. This proposal is part of the Egyptian initiative and has nothing to do with Israel's position.
Palestinian sources told Israel Hayom that there are at least four people who are candidates to lead the new body to be established. This is a "temporary management" that will work mainly to "reorganize the Gaza Strip" until elections are held. And these are the four:
Nasser al-Qadwa (70) - nephew of Yasser Arafat. He previously represented the PLO at the UN and served as Palestinian Foreign Minister.
Nasser al-Qadwa. Yasser Arafat's nephew, photo: AFP
Al-Qadwa belongs to the opposition camp to Mahmoud Abbas within the Fatah movement. Two years ago, Mahmoud Abbas suspended him from Fatah's Central Committee after he decided to run for the head of a separate list in the elections for the Palestinian Legislative Council, which were supposed to be held that year but were canceled by the PA chairman.
Salam Fayyad, 71, former Palestinian prime minister and finance minister. Not affiliated with any political body.
Salam Fayyad. Former Palestinian prime minister and finance minister, photo: Reuters
When he served as Palestinian prime minister, he formulated a detailed plan for reforming PA institutions, with the support of the United States and the European Union. In 2011 he published the Palestinian plan to take over Area C of Judea and Samaria. In recent years he has been in America, and relations between him and the PA leadership are considered tense.
Muhammad Dahlan (62) – formerly the strongest man in the Gaza Strip, in his capacity as head of Preventive Security in the Gaza Strip after the Oslo Accords.
Muhammad Dahlan. In the conflict with Mahmoud Abbas, photo: Reuters
In the past, he served as Mahmoud Abbas' "national security adviser," but 13 years ago a sharp conflict broke out between the two, following which Dahlan moved to the United Arab Emirates, where he forged ties with the leadership and became close to the ruler.
Marwan Barghouti (64) – architect of Palestinian terrorism during the second intifada. He is serving five life sentences in an Israeli prison following his conviction for murdering Israelis.
Marwan Barghouti. The architect of Palestinian terrorism during the second intifada, photo: AFP
He is popular with the Palestinian public and is considered one of the leading candidates for the leadership of the Fatah movement. On the Palestinian side, demands have often been made for his release from prison.
Maybe both;
According to Palestinian sources, behind-the-scenes talks between various parties, including Arab states, are examining the possibility of integrating these four figures into "the temporary leadership body for managing Gaza."
"Abu Mazen has to go," Nasser al-Qadwa told Israel Hayom. "There is no escape, this leadership has failed. It is no longer possible for Abbas to have the powers of government. He needs to be realistic. If he does insist, then one might think of leaving him representative powers. As for the government that will be in Gaza, it must happen within the framework of the agreement of the public and the Palestinian factions, including Hamas."
The Palestinian Authority, for its part, is following the publications with concern. After Hamas made it clear in recent days that there would be no governing body in the Gaza Strip without their consent, Mahmoud Abbas is sending a similar message. On Monday of this week, he even convened an urgent meeting of the PLO leadership in Ramallah, at the end of which a statement was issued "rejecting the establishment of a Palestinian government to administer Gaza and the West Bank outside the responsibility of the PLO, which serves as the sole representative of the Palestinian people."
Yahya Sinwar, Mahmoud Abbas. Who will take Gaza into his own hands, Photo: AFP Getty-Images
"The message from Abu Mazen to the Biden administration and the Arab countries is, 'Don't bypass us and don't dare to act without our approval,'" a Palestinian source explained. "He is troubled by all the talk about being called on him and his people to vacate the chair, and at the very least wants the body to be established to be subordinate to him, and to hold supreme responsibility."
In light of these messages from Hamas and the PA, it is difficult to see which of the candidates (those mentioned and others) would agree to take on the role of managing Gaza alone. It is more likely that there will be an effort to form a group of characters who will play the role together. It is possible that individuals who will be labeled as independents will also join, while beneath the surface they will in fact be "candidates on their behalf," of Hamas and Fatah, in order to reassure everyone.
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