It seems Hamas is now pitching the narrative that it is prepared to cede Gaza governance to the Palestinian Authority (PA) following the end of the war there. The Times of Israel, citing Sky News Arabia, is reporting that Hamas made the decision under pressure from Egypt. Plainly though, President Trump’s Gaza proposal – that Gaza’s roughly two million residents be relocated to neighboring Arab states – shows that he is not of a mind to support any such plan.
And, indeed Prime Minister Netanyahu, long on record as saying there would not be a future role in Gaza for either Hamas or the PA, responded to The Times of Israel report, that he was “fully committed to U.S. President Trump’s plan.”
In fact, the whole notion of Israel’s acquiescing in a part to be played by either Hamas or the PA in Gaza going forward is laughable. To be sure, it may be more obvious in the case of Hamas, but the PA also would bring along disqualifying baggage of its own.
Even the most cursory review of the curricula of the PA’s educational system would find pervasive demonization of Israel and Jews and support for terrorism. And, of course, there is the PA’s long-time encouragement of terror through its infamous, so called “Pay-for-Slay” policy of granting stipends to the families of eliminated and incarcerated terrorists.
As to the latter, PA President Mahmoud Abbas apparently was trying to preemptively play up to Israel and the U.S., announcing that he had put an end to the policy. But it soon emerged that this was all just smoke and mirrors.
For one thing, Abbas’ declaration indicated that what he had in mind was to pay any stipends through another fund earmarked for needy Palestinian families generally. Presumably this removing any direct connection with terror and a reduction in the amount granted to the families of terrorists since those families had typically been awarded amounts commensurate with the damage they had caused.
However, Palestinian Media Watch is reporting that last week, when speaking to the Fatah Revolutionary Council, Abbas disavowed even that “concession.” Here is what he had to say:
“We again emphasize that we are proud of the sacrifices made by the Martyrs, prisoners, and wounded. I told you once and I stand by my word: Even if we have [only] one penny left, it is for the prisoners and Martyrs. I will not agree, and you will not agree, to reduce any obligation, any interest, or any penny given to them. They must receive everything, as it was in the past and they are more precious than all of us! …Note the number of Martyrs and wounded in the Gaza Strip is 160,000. Who is responsible for them? We are [the PA] …”
But this blatant duplicity is not even the whole story why the PA should be debarred from participating in the governance of Gaza. We need only recall how easily Hamas seized control of Gaza from the PA in June of 2007 – it only took them but five days!
While it is true that Hamas’ military ranks have been severely degraded by Israel in recent months, they are showing signs of new life. President Trump may well support an Israeli effort to “finish the job.” But even now there is little reason to believe that Hamas could not once again quickly wrest control of Gaza from the PA. In fact, the evidence would suggest that it could.
Thus, writing in the Washington Post the other day, Claire Parker noted the recent abject failure of PA security forces in a major military operation against militant groups in Jenin in the PA administered West Bank. In the six-week Jenin campaign, Parker said the PA forces came up badly short and exposed some of the challenges the PA would face in securing Gaza.
Parker goes on to quote a senior fellow at the Washington Institute: “If you cannot succeed decisively in an operation like Jenin, how can you hope to tackle the infinitely more complex situation in Gaza?”
So plainly, a role for the PA in Gaza ultimately means entrée and a role for Hamas. Yet, as Parker points out while both Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Trump oppose a role for the PA, an alternative Arab plan to counter President Trump’s Gaza proposal is now being developed and will likely give the PA a central role, despite profound concerns about its capabilities.
We trust that both the President and the Prime Minister keep their eyes on the ball.
