Once again, you're mixing up disgust at Israel killing scores of Palestinian children with support for the Palestinian government. You are an absolute tool of the highest order.
Current Affairs Palestinian Elections
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Once again, you're mixing up disgust at Israel killing scores of Palestinian children with support for the Palestinian government. You are an absolute tool of the highest order.
BigMick
Player Valuation: £20m
An article in a solitary Arab newspaper suggests that the US, Israel and the PA signed an agreement on July 14th, with the deal being brokered by US diplomat Hady Amr. The newspaper claim to have got the information from an unnamed leak. Unfortunately, it's a very partial leak, clearly designed to show the PA in a bad light by revealing only concessions it would make, and none of the benefits it would receive. Therefore, the leak, if true, is likely to have come from a rival of President Abbas and his circle, most likely someone within the PA, or, less likely, from someone from the US State Department. Alternatively, it could just be a made up story designed to discredit the PA, all part of the propaganda war between Hamas and its allies and the PA.
Here are some of the details:
The US to impose strict control over the Palestinian media and educational curricula, and the reactivate the comatose tripartite American-Israeli-Palestinian committee to track and report on incitement in Palestinian media.
It also addresses the "pay for slay" issue, where the Palestinian Prisoners Law would be modified in ways that would be acceptable to both Israel and the US.
Additionally, the agreement is meant to strengthen the PA by providing strong auditing mechanisms against corruption and misuse of funds, with major US accounting firms like Price Waterhouse performing the audits.
The US also asked the Palestinian Authority to conduct an effective and transparent investigation into the apparent murder of Nizar Banat, to be completed within three months, to regain PA credibility amongst Palestinians.
In addition,, Prime Minister Muhammad Shtayyeh and his deputy, Ziyad Amro, will hold meetings - likely to be weekly - with NGOs and civil society institutions, in order to listen to their complaints and address them.
Elsewhere it's reported that the US are 'keen' for the families in the Sheikh Jarrah dispute to accept the compromise offered by the Israeli Supreme Court last week, although publicly they are saying that it “is a matter for the Israeli and Palestinian parties to the case to consider and to decide for themselves."
Here are some of the details:
The US to impose strict control over the Palestinian media and educational curricula, and the reactivate the comatose tripartite American-Israeli-Palestinian committee to track and report on incitement in Palestinian media.
It also addresses the "pay for slay" issue, where the Palestinian Prisoners Law would be modified in ways that would be acceptable to both Israel and the US.
Additionally, the agreement is meant to strengthen the PA by providing strong auditing mechanisms against corruption and misuse of funds, with major US accounting firms like Price Waterhouse performing the audits.
The US also asked the Palestinian Authority to conduct an effective and transparent investigation into the apparent murder of Nizar Banat, to be completed within three months, to regain PA credibility amongst Palestinians.
In addition,, Prime Minister Muhammad Shtayyeh and his deputy, Ziyad Amro, will hold meetings - likely to be weekly - with NGOs and civil society institutions, in order to listen to their complaints and address them.
Elsewhere it's reported that the US are 'keen' for the families in the Sheikh Jarrah dispute to accept the compromise offered by the Israeli Supreme Court last week, although publicly they are saying that it “is a matter for the Israeli and Palestinian parties to the case to consider and to decide for themselves."
BigMick
Player Valuation: £20m
A number of media outlets have now picked up on the 'agreement' between Israel/US/PA I mentioned in my previous post. Although there is no reference to any agreement, the following interview with Esawi Frej, the Minister of Regional Cooperation in the Israeli coalition government, probably hints at what it may include.
Frej, originally from the Israeli Arab city of Kfar Qassim, is just the second Muslim minister in Israel’s history, and the first to serve in an Israeli government for over a decade. He is a member of the left-wing Meretz party.
ON MEETINGS WITH THE PA.
“The deadlock in relations with the Palestinian Authority over the past ten years is unacceptable. You can’t have an agreement and security coordination and be someone’s neighbours — and at the same time ignore one another and have frozen relations. Stagnant water brings insects!”
"I have talked to a number of senior Palestinian Authority officials and the feeling is difficult, the Authority is on the verge of an economic and social abyss. We must not ignore, it is our duty to act."
“I am not the only one having meetings. There will be others with the transportation ministers, the economic ministers. The process is continuing. There is will and commitment on both sides — we are going to discuss civilian matters to the benefit of both sides. There are lots of projects in health, economic, financial fields. We want to create rapprochement and communication and interaction.”
"Strengthening the Palestinian Authority’s economy will strengthen the Israeli economy because the two are tied together. It is
mutually beneficial.”
“I’m not working in secret — I’m working out in the open. When I sat down with Palestinian ministers two weeks ago — as I will again next week — and we discussed and spoke and exchanged on these matters, it was all open. We share the conviction that a strong Palestinian Authority benefits the whole region. My work is concentrated on social and economic matters — regional cooperation — rather than security and political issues. Working together creates opportunities for us to get closer. When you think about the future, you must think about the present. The future won’t come without a strong present. You can’t build a future without a strong present. Can you build a building without a foundation? The foundation is interaction between people!”
The PA's rejection of vaccines? “There was a communication mistake in how the vaccine issue was presented. There are parties who don’t have any interest in this kind of rapprochement. However, the train has left the station.”
ON COMPROMISES IN THE COALITION GOVERNMENT
“This strange, unexpected assembly of a government — I view it as an achievement for Israeli society. You see all the diversity and poles in our society in one government. Concessions are the price of being in the coalition. Everything has a price. And we were in the opposition for 21 years!”
“If we waited for the opportunity to implement our entire agenda, we’d be stuck waiting until the end of time. When we decided to be part of this coalition, this had a price that we knew we would pay — it was a decision to serve our community from inside the government.”
ON PALESTINIAN DEATHS IN THE WEST BANK.
"More than 50 Palestinians were killed during 2021 by IDF and settler gunfire. 17 of them were killed in the demonstrations, 11 were under the age of 18. I've raised this in cabinet meetings - these deaths have to stop. (IDF) Chief Kochavi is doing well in addressing the problem, and he very much hopes that the result will be a more responsible conduct by the IDF on the ground, because the sanctity of life is also the sanctity of Palestinian life."
(Kochavi has criticised shootings by both IDF and settlers, and has publicly asked for 'restraint' and 'fewer shootings' from his troops.)
ON INCREASING THE NUMBER OF WORK PERMITS FOR WEST BANK PALESTINIANS BY 16,000.
Frej said he hopes to help advance other projects as well. As an example, he said, the 122,000-odd Palestinians who currently work in Israel and Israeli settlements mostly receive their salaries in cash. Frej wants to set up a system that would see them paid directly into their bank accounts. “When you get salaries in your bank, your bank can give you credit, because there’s a salary going back and forth. And credit is the engine of economic growth. But Palestinian workers in Israel can’t get credit, because they don’t use the bank — it’s all in cash."
(The permits are for Palestinians working in the construction and hospitality sectors. The next target is for high-tech industries).
The new government has made, and will no doubt continue to make, mistakes - with such a diverse and precarious coalition that is inevitable. But it is taking steps in the right direction. Frej is right about compromises and it applies to all the members of the coalition, but for his party and the once powerful Labour party, not to mention the Islamist Ra'am, this is an unexpected opportunity to influence Israeli policy that they cannot squander by insisting they get everything they want.
At the very least, it's good to have adults back in government.
Frej, originally from the Israeli Arab city of Kfar Qassim, is just the second Muslim minister in Israel’s history, and the first to serve in an Israeli government for over a decade. He is a member of the left-wing Meretz party.
ON MEETINGS WITH THE PA.
“The deadlock in relations with the Palestinian Authority over the past ten years is unacceptable. You can’t have an agreement and security coordination and be someone’s neighbours — and at the same time ignore one another and have frozen relations. Stagnant water brings insects!”
"I have talked to a number of senior Palestinian Authority officials and the feeling is difficult, the Authority is on the verge of an economic and social abyss. We must not ignore, it is our duty to act."
“I am not the only one having meetings. There will be others with the transportation ministers, the economic ministers. The process is continuing. There is will and commitment on both sides — we are going to discuss civilian matters to the benefit of both sides. There are lots of projects in health, economic, financial fields. We want to create rapprochement and communication and interaction.”
"Strengthening the Palestinian Authority’s economy will strengthen the Israeli economy because the two are tied together. It is
mutually beneficial.”
“I’m not working in secret — I’m working out in the open. When I sat down with Palestinian ministers two weeks ago — as I will again next week — and we discussed and spoke and exchanged on these matters, it was all open. We share the conviction that a strong Palestinian Authority benefits the whole region. My work is concentrated on social and economic matters — regional cooperation — rather than security and political issues. Working together creates opportunities for us to get closer. When you think about the future, you must think about the present. The future won’t come without a strong present. You can’t build a future without a strong present. Can you build a building without a foundation? The foundation is interaction between people!”
The PA's rejection of vaccines? “There was a communication mistake in how the vaccine issue was presented. There are parties who don’t have any interest in this kind of rapprochement. However, the train has left the station.”
ON COMPROMISES IN THE COALITION GOVERNMENT
“This strange, unexpected assembly of a government — I view it as an achievement for Israeli society. You see all the diversity and poles in our society in one government. Concessions are the price of being in the coalition. Everything has a price. And we were in the opposition for 21 years!”
“If we waited for the opportunity to implement our entire agenda, we’d be stuck waiting until the end of time. When we decided to be part of this coalition, this had a price that we knew we would pay — it was a decision to serve our community from inside the government.”
ON PALESTINIAN DEATHS IN THE WEST BANK.
"More than 50 Palestinians were killed during 2021 by IDF and settler gunfire. 17 of them were killed in the demonstrations, 11 were under the age of 18. I've raised this in cabinet meetings - these deaths have to stop. (IDF) Chief Kochavi is doing well in addressing the problem, and he very much hopes that the result will be a more responsible conduct by the IDF on the ground, because the sanctity of life is also the sanctity of Palestinian life."
(Kochavi has criticised shootings by both IDF and settlers, and has publicly asked for 'restraint' and 'fewer shootings' from his troops.)
ON INCREASING THE NUMBER OF WORK PERMITS FOR WEST BANK PALESTINIANS BY 16,000.
Frej said he hopes to help advance other projects as well. As an example, he said, the 122,000-odd Palestinians who currently work in Israel and Israeli settlements mostly receive their salaries in cash. Frej wants to set up a system that would see them paid directly into their bank accounts. “When you get salaries in your bank, your bank can give you credit, because there’s a salary going back and forth. And credit is the engine of economic growth. But Palestinian workers in Israel can’t get credit, because they don’t use the bank — it’s all in cash."
(The permits are for Palestinians working in the construction and hospitality sectors. The next target is for high-tech industries).
The new government has made, and will no doubt continue to make, mistakes - with such a diverse and precarious coalition that is inevitable. But it is taking steps in the right direction. Frej is right about compromises and it applies to all the members of the coalition, but for his party and the once powerful Labour party, not to mention the Islamist Ra'am, this is an unexpected opportunity to influence Israeli policy that they cannot squander by insisting they get everything they want.
At the very least, it's good to have adults back in government.
BigMick
Player Valuation: £20m
With the eyes of the world rightly elsewhere at the moment, Hamas today fired two missiles at Israel, one intercepted over the city of Sderot and the other landing in Gaza itself. These were the first missiles since the May ceasefire although a drone launched from Gaza was shot down two days ago, and there have also been numerous incendiary balloons.
Meanwhile, Qatar and the UN have reached an agreement on the transfer of Qatari money to needy families in the Gaza Strip. At this stage, the money will not be transferred to Hamas officials. The families will be able to withdraw $100 each using cards that the UN will distribute. Apparently, the UN will charge a 3.5% brokerage fee for transferring the money - the Palestinian Authority, which is not part of the agreement, were only charging 1.5%, but their proposed deal fell through because Palestinian banks felt unable to transfer the funds to Gaza, for fear of being exposed to terrorist financing claims.
While an agreement seems to be in place it's undoubtedly wise to wait until the money starts flowing before thinking the issue is solved.
Meanwhile, Qatar and the UN have reached an agreement on the transfer of Qatari money to needy families in the Gaza Strip. At this stage, the money will not be transferred to Hamas officials. The families will be able to withdraw $100 each using cards that the UN will distribute. Apparently, the UN will charge a 3.5% brokerage fee for transferring the money - the Palestinian Authority, which is not part of the agreement, were only charging 1.5%, but their proposed deal fell through because Palestinian banks felt unable to transfer the funds to Gaza, for fear of being exposed to terrorist financing claims.
While an agreement seems to be in place it's undoubtedly wise to wait until the money starts flowing before thinking the issue is solved.
BigMick
Player Valuation: £20m
Over the years I've met numerous people who sympathise with the Palestinian cause and are reasonable aware of events in the West Bank and Gaza, but less aware, and in some cases oblivious to, the plight of Palestinians in Syria and Lebanon. It receives hardly any coverage in the British media, so here's a couple of articles from this week.
The first is from UNWRA, an organisation that certainly has its faults but does vital work that no-one else does.
https://www.unrwa.org/newsroom/offi...ugees-affected-ongoing-clashes-southern-syria
The second is from the Action Group for Palestinians of Syria, but concerns refugees in Lebanon. The last three paragraphs give a good summary of the plight of these people.
https://www.actionpal.org.uk/en/post/12095
The first is from UNWRA, an organisation that certainly has its faults but does vital work that no-one else does.
https://www.unrwa.org/newsroom/offi...ugees-affected-ongoing-clashes-southern-syria
The second is from the Action Group for Palestinians of Syria, but concerns refugees in Lebanon. The last three paragraphs give a good summary of the plight of these people.
https://www.actionpal.org.uk/en/post/12095
BigMick
Player Valuation: £20m
Following the death of Nizar Banat, and the clampdown on protests that followed it, the Palestinian Authority has staggered from crisis to crisis, earning all too rare reprimands from the US and, even more infrequent, the EU. In addition to internal and external criticism, the government has been struggling to pay the salaries of many of their public servants for the last two months, until the receipt of the tax money Israel collects on their behalf - minus the 'pay for slay' amount.
The problem thus seemed to be solved in the short term, but the government is having to cope with a major drop in Arab and international aid, which previously accounted for a significant chunk of its budget. In 2019, the PA received around $300 million in budget support by the end of June; in 2021, however, they received just $30.2 million. In addition, money expected from the EU has not been received - bizarrely, the EU blame the non-payment on a 'technical issue' rather than a response to the human rights situation they have criticised,saying the October payment will be paid.
In response to the desperate situation, Israel and the PA are negotiating a financial package worth $247 million, an advance on the next lot of tax revenues - cue protests from political activists and opponents. It was hoped the deal would be sorted in time for Bennett's visit to Washington, but details are still being ironed out.
The family of Banat, unhappy with what they perceive as a cover up, have employed a British firm of lawyers, who have asked the Metropolitan Police to open an investigation under the principle of universal jurisdiction. They have also asked multiple branches of the UN's human rights system to open an investigation.
Meanwhile a West Bank opinion poll has come out showing the public's views following the death of Nizar Banat. It makes grim reading for the PA, but is not as bad as it could have been given they are probably at an all time low in terms of events and criticism.
The figure in brackets is pre-Banat death.
Loss of hope of an independent state: 58% (44%)
Pessimism about the future: 48% (32%)
PA performance: Satisfactory: 15% (22%)
Fair: 27% (40%)
Unsatisfactory: 55% (37%)
Main reason for unsatisfactory rating: Job creation; fighting corruption; supporting young people; achieving economic growth/investment.
Personally I think a satisfactory/fair rating of 42% is remarkably high, and shows not just the deep-seated traditional support for Fatah, but also the lack of viable alternatives. They also likely to have retained the support of the large middle class created under PA rule, which enjoyed economic stability and regular income that enabled it to plan its future, obtain bank credit, and meet financial obligations. Equally, political activist and political opponents' criticism of any economic deals proposed by the new Israeli government seem to be against the wishes of the general population.
Should government stay or be replaced?
Unity Government 35%
Present Government stay: 25%
Technocrat Government: 25%
Hamas Government: 10%
So much for the supposed popularity of Hamas!
It goes without saying, though, that the unpopularity of Mahmoud Abbas continues to grow, and once again the polls suggest he would lose any presidential election. That is the real reason the elections were cancelled. Not that any of this seems to worry Abbas who continues as though everything is normal, having just returned from a meeting with the Jordanian government in Amman, and over the weekend hosted a meeting with Israeli defence minister Benny Gantz - the first time he's met an Israeli government official for 10 years ("Reprehensible" - Hamas, Islamic Jihad). He's also likely to be busy preparing for a forthcoming speech to the United Nations (!) when he'll no doubt come out with the usual nonsense, "don't blame me - it's all the fault of the Joos and the Americans."
The problem thus seemed to be solved in the short term, but the government is having to cope with a major drop in Arab and international aid, which previously accounted for a significant chunk of its budget. In 2019, the PA received around $300 million in budget support by the end of June; in 2021, however, they received just $30.2 million. In addition, money expected from the EU has not been received - bizarrely, the EU blame the non-payment on a 'technical issue' rather than a response to the human rights situation they have criticised,saying the October payment will be paid.
In response to the desperate situation, Israel and the PA are negotiating a financial package worth $247 million, an advance on the next lot of tax revenues - cue protests from political activists and opponents. It was hoped the deal would be sorted in time for Bennett's visit to Washington, but details are still being ironed out.
The family of Banat, unhappy with what they perceive as a cover up, have employed a British firm of lawyers, who have asked the Metropolitan Police to open an investigation under the principle of universal jurisdiction. They have also asked multiple branches of the UN's human rights system to open an investigation.
Meanwhile a West Bank opinion poll has come out showing the public's views following the death of Nizar Banat. It makes grim reading for the PA, but is not as bad as it could have been given they are probably at an all time low in terms of events and criticism.
The figure in brackets is pre-Banat death.
Loss of hope of an independent state: 58% (44%)
Pessimism about the future: 48% (32%)
PA performance: Satisfactory: 15% (22%)
Fair: 27% (40%)
Unsatisfactory: 55% (37%)
Main reason for unsatisfactory rating: Job creation; fighting corruption; supporting young people; achieving economic growth/investment.
Personally I think a satisfactory/fair rating of 42% is remarkably high, and shows not just the deep-seated traditional support for Fatah, but also the lack of viable alternatives. They also likely to have retained the support of the large middle class created under PA rule, which enjoyed economic stability and regular income that enabled it to plan its future, obtain bank credit, and meet financial obligations. Equally, political activist and political opponents' criticism of any economic deals proposed by the new Israeli government seem to be against the wishes of the general population.
Should government stay or be replaced?
Unity Government 35%
Present Government stay: 25%
Technocrat Government: 25%
Hamas Government: 10%
So much for the supposed popularity of Hamas!
It goes without saying, though, that the unpopularity of Mahmoud Abbas continues to grow, and once again the polls suggest he would lose any presidential election. That is the real reason the elections were cancelled. Not that any of this seems to worry Abbas who continues as though everything is normal, having just returned from a meeting with the Jordanian government in Amman, and over the weekend hosted a meeting with Israeli defence minister Benny Gantz - the first time he's met an Israeli government official for 10 years ("Reprehensible" - Hamas, Islamic Jihad). He's also likely to be busy preparing for a forthcoming speech to the United Nations (!) when he'll no doubt come out with the usual nonsense, "don't blame me - it's all the fault of the Joos and the Americans."
PaddyJames
Player Valuation: £25m
Showing support for children who are being bombed is band wagon jumping now? How evil are you
BigMick
Player Valuation: £20m
September 12th marked the 16th anniversary of Israels withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, part of a 'land for peace' strategy which was much lauded at the time but the succession of Hamas led Gaza wars that followed have succeeded only in pushing any long-term solution ever further into the distance. To mark the anniversary, Foreign Minister Yair Lapid gave a speech in which he laid out a detailed plan for improving life for Gazans through economic and diplomatic means.
Lapid rejected the dichotomy that Israel can either reconquer Gaza or continue to engage in periodic rounds of war against Hamas and other terrorist groups in the coastal enclave.
“Those are two bad options,” he said. “That’s not a reality we can accept.”
Instead, Israel should advance the “economy for security” formulation without negotiating with Hamas.
“Israel doesn’t speak to terrorist organisations who want to destroy us. This is not a proposal for negotiations with Hamas. Israel will not reward a terrorist organisation and weaken the Palestinian Authority that works with us on a regular basis."
"The policy Israel has pursued up until now hasn’t substantially changed the situation. The closures haven’t stopped the smuggling and production of weapons. Last night, we once again struck Gaza after yet another rocket was fired, and residents ran to their shelters. We need to change direction."
“We need to start a large, multiyear process of economy for security. The aim is to create stability on both sides of the border.”
He outlined a two-stage plan for changing the economic situation in Gaza.
1. Rehabilitate Gaza’s infrastructure in exchange for tight international oversight — as well as quiet from Hamas. The humanitarian rebuilding of Gaza in exchange for an effort, coordinated with the international community, to stop Hamas’s military build-up.
“The electricity system will be repaired, gas will be connected, a water desalination plant will be built, significant improvements to the healthcare system and a rebuilding of housing and transportation infrastructure will take place."
“In exchange, Hamas will commit to long-term quiet.”
The Palestinian Authority would go back to being responsible for crossings into Gaza, except for Rafah, which is controlled by Egypt.
The international community would have to use its influence to ensure quiet and stop Hamas from arming itself, including preventing smuggling and an oversight mechanism to stop humanitarian funds from getting to the terrorist group that threatens Israeli civilians. Both Egypt and the Palestinian Authority would play a role in the process. (The PA, which is dominated by Hamas’s Fatah rivals, has currently has no role in the Gaza Strip.)
“The rehabilitation process will be defined by a series of pre-set benchmarks, with each one given a specific time-frame. Any breach by Hamas will stop the process or set it back.”
2. The second stage will allow a transformative change in the economy of Gaza, including the construction of an artificial island built off the coast of the enclave - part of a long-proposed plan to see a port built in Gaza - and a transportation link with the West Bank.
Economic projects with Israel, Egypt and the PA will be facilitated, including industrial zones near the Erez crossing, with international investment from the EU, US, the IMF, the World Bank and the UAE.
The PA would take over civil and economic affairs in the Gaza Strip as part of this step.
“We need to tell Gazans at every opportunity: Hamas is leading you to ruin."
“No one will come and invest real money, and no one will try to build an economy in a place from where Hamas fires and that Israel strikes on a regular basis. If Sinwar and Haniyeh continue to act against Israel, we will know and the international community will know, and mostly the people of Gaza will know, that Hamas refuses to improve life in Gaza because the only thing they care about is killing Jews."
Lapid said that he had already discussed the plan with leaders from the European Union, Egypt, the Gulf States, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
He finished by claiming his plan would “strengthen the Palestinian Authority... with an aim to achieve a two-state solution. The political conditions – in Israel and in the Palestinian Authority – don’t allow for diplomatic progress at the moment. But in Gaza, we can, and we should, act now.”
I'm pleased Lapid has revealed his thoughts on the future of Gaza - the status quo the previous government were happy with cannot continue. However, many of the projects he mentioned - connecting Gaza to natural gas, building a desalination plant, creating a port and industrial zones - have been proposed before, only to be rejected by the Palestinians. Will it be any different this time? Initial reactions from Hamas, naturally, and the hapless PA Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh suggest not - though the latter should not be taken too seriously. The international community need to encourage the PA to accept the plan - not only is it good for the Palestinian people it is also to the benefit of the PA and puts the blame for any failure on Hamas.
The only new things I can see are the call for a greater role for the international community and an acceding to the recent demands of the PA for control of border crossings and a direct link between Gaza and the West Bank. By 'international community' I doubt he means UNWRA. Sadly, I remain unconvinced that there is enough genuine interest and determination in the west for the plan to succeed.
The chances of Hamas agreeing to any sort of PA influence in Gaza are virtually zero, especially as they have convinced themselves they are winning the propaganda war against the PA in the West Bank and against Israel in the west.
There are, though, a lot of meetings going on at the moment, and who knows what is being discussed in them. In addition to the meetings mentioned by Lapid, Bennett was in Egypt on Sunday and has previously met the Jordanians and Biden. Abbas has met with the Jordanians and Egyptians and is due at the UN soon, as is Bennett, although I suspect he will talk about Iran and the Abraham Accords. Abbas has also met with Benny Gantz and there have been other governmental level Israel/PA meetings. Crucially, Egypt are in regular contact with Hamas so their support for the plan is vital. Qatar, too, could have a major role, and the UAE seem keen to be involved. Unfortunately, the biggest influence on Hamas, Iran, are against any such plan.
Unfortunately I see little chance of Lapid's plan coming to fruition. I would love to be wrong.
Lapid rejected the dichotomy that Israel can either reconquer Gaza or continue to engage in periodic rounds of war against Hamas and other terrorist groups in the coastal enclave.
“Those are two bad options,” he said. “That’s not a reality we can accept.”
Instead, Israel should advance the “economy for security” formulation without negotiating with Hamas.
“Israel doesn’t speak to terrorist organisations who want to destroy us. This is not a proposal for negotiations with Hamas. Israel will not reward a terrorist organisation and weaken the Palestinian Authority that works with us on a regular basis."
"The policy Israel has pursued up until now hasn’t substantially changed the situation. The closures haven’t stopped the smuggling and production of weapons. Last night, we once again struck Gaza after yet another rocket was fired, and residents ran to their shelters. We need to change direction."
“We need to start a large, multiyear process of economy for security. The aim is to create stability on both sides of the border.”
He outlined a two-stage plan for changing the economic situation in Gaza.
1. Rehabilitate Gaza’s infrastructure in exchange for tight international oversight — as well as quiet from Hamas. The humanitarian rebuilding of Gaza in exchange for an effort, coordinated with the international community, to stop Hamas’s military build-up.
“The electricity system will be repaired, gas will be connected, a water desalination plant will be built, significant improvements to the healthcare system and a rebuilding of housing and transportation infrastructure will take place."
“In exchange, Hamas will commit to long-term quiet.”
The Palestinian Authority would go back to being responsible for crossings into Gaza, except for Rafah, which is controlled by Egypt.
The international community would have to use its influence to ensure quiet and stop Hamas from arming itself, including preventing smuggling and an oversight mechanism to stop humanitarian funds from getting to the terrorist group that threatens Israeli civilians. Both Egypt and the Palestinian Authority would play a role in the process. (The PA, which is dominated by Hamas’s Fatah rivals, has currently has no role in the Gaza Strip.)
“The rehabilitation process will be defined by a series of pre-set benchmarks, with each one given a specific time-frame. Any breach by Hamas will stop the process or set it back.”
2. The second stage will allow a transformative change in the economy of Gaza, including the construction of an artificial island built off the coast of the enclave - part of a long-proposed plan to see a port built in Gaza - and a transportation link with the West Bank.
Economic projects with Israel, Egypt and the PA will be facilitated, including industrial zones near the Erez crossing, with international investment from the EU, US, the IMF, the World Bank and the UAE.
The PA would take over civil and economic affairs in the Gaza Strip as part of this step.
“We need to tell Gazans at every opportunity: Hamas is leading you to ruin."
“No one will come and invest real money, and no one will try to build an economy in a place from where Hamas fires and that Israel strikes on a regular basis. If Sinwar and Haniyeh continue to act against Israel, we will know and the international community will know, and mostly the people of Gaza will know, that Hamas refuses to improve life in Gaza because the only thing they care about is killing Jews."
Lapid said that he had already discussed the plan with leaders from the European Union, Egypt, the Gulf States, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
He finished by claiming his plan would “strengthen the Palestinian Authority... with an aim to achieve a two-state solution. The political conditions – in Israel and in the Palestinian Authority – don’t allow for diplomatic progress at the moment. But in Gaza, we can, and we should, act now.”
I'm pleased Lapid has revealed his thoughts on the future of Gaza - the status quo the previous government were happy with cannot continue. However, many of the projects he mentioned - connecting Gaza to natural gas, building a desalination plant, creating a port and industrial zones - have been proposed before, only to be rejected by the Palestinians. Will it be any different this time? Initial reactions from Hamas, naturally, and the hapless PA Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh suggest not - though the latter should not be taken too seriously. The international community need to encourage the PA to accept the plan - not only is it good for the Palestinian people it is also to the benefit of the PA and puts the blame for any failure on Hamas.
The only new things I can see are the call for a greater role for the international community and an acceding to the recent demands of the PA for control of border crossings and a direct link between Gaza and the West Bank. By 'international community' I doubt he means UNWRA. Sadly, I remain unconvinced that there is enough genuine interest and determination in the west for the plan to succeed.
The chances of Hamas agreeing to any sort of PA influence in Gaza are virtually zero, especially as they have convinced themselves they are winning the propaganda war against the PA in the West Bank and against Israel in the west.
There are, though, a lot of meetings going on at the moment, and who knows what is being discussed in them. In addition to the meetings mentioned by Lapid, Bennett was in Egypt on Sunday and has previously met the Jordanians and Biden. Abbas has met with the Jordanians and Egyptians and is due at the UN soon, as is Bennett, although I suspect he will talk about Iran and the Abraham Accords. Abbas has also met with Benny Gantz and there have been other governmental level Israel/PA meetings. Crucially, Egypt are in regular contact with Hamas so their support for the plan is vital. Qatar, too, could have a major role, and the UAE seem keen to be involved. Unfortunately, the biggest influence on Hamas, Iran, are against any such plan.
Unfortunately I see little chance of Lapid's plan coming to fruition. I would love to be wrong.
BigMick
Player Valuation: £20m
I wrote in my previous post about Foreign Minister Yair Lapid’s plan for the Gaza Strip and how it had already been rejected by Hamas and by PA Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh - saying that the latter shouldn't be taken too seriously.
Yesterday an unnamed senior figure in the PA praised the deal in lavish terms, saying “This is the new Oslo,” a reference to the 1993 peace agreements.
He went on to say, “The program Lapid announced could save Gaza. This is the first time in 11 years that someone in Israel is suggesting a solution to the problem of Gaza in the framework of a two-state solution.”
"There is something new here. Finally Israel is starting to think in a different manner. Over the past decade - since Hamas took control of the Strip - the administration of Netanyahu supported the split between Gaza and the West Bank.”
"Now Israel is bringing a plan with a different message entirely: Let’s put divisions aside and connect Gaza and Ramallah. It was comfortable for Israel that the Palestinian people were divided so that they could claim there is no partner for peace and nobody to talk to. Which is why what they’re suggesting now gives hope to a lot of people - because there is a feeling that it doesn’t come at the expense of the Palestinian project which speaks about a Palestinian state.”
That last sentence sums up my feeling perfectly.
There's a long way to go and there will no doubt be many twists and turns to come but this is an encouraging sign.
Yesterday an unnamed senior figure in the PA praised the deal in lavish terms, saying “This is the new Oslo,” a reference to the 1993 peace agreements.
He went on to say, “The program Lapid announced could save Gaza. This is the first time in 11 years that someone in Israel is suggesting a solution to the problem of Gaza in the framework of a two-state solution.”
"There is something new here. Finally Israel is starting to think in a different manner. Over the past decade - since Hamas took control of the Strip - the administration of Netanyahu supported the split between Gaza and the West Bank.”
"Now Israel is bringing a plan with a different message entirely: Let’s put divisions aside and connect Gaza and Ramallah. It was comfortable for Israel that the Palestinian people were divided so that they could claim there is no partner for peace and nobody to talk to. Which is why what they’re suggesting now gives hope to a lot of people - because there is a feeling that it doesn’t come at the expense of the Palestinian project which speaks about a Palestinian state.”
That last sentence sums up my feeling perfectly.
There's a long way to go and there will no doubt be many twists and turns to come but this is an encouraging sign.
BigMick
Player Valuation: £20m
Lo and behold! The Palestinian Authority has announced elections will be held in December!
Don't get too excited, though - these are municipal elections, the equivalent of our local elections.
The first phase of the elections are due on December 11 for 388 municipalities and village councils in the West Bank and the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip. The second phase of the elections will be held at a later date - this is for major towns and cities in Areas A and B of the West Bank. The elections would be just the fourth since the establishment of the PA in 1994, and the first since 2017.
In June, the PA government dissolved the elected municipal and village councils after their term expired and turned them into caretaker committees under the supervision of the Ministry of Local Government until new elections, promised before the end of the year.
There are 121 municipalities: 96 in the West Bank, and 25 in Gaza. However, elections in Gaza require the approval of Hamas, who have today announced they will not allow them to take place.
In 2017, Hamas refused to allow the elections to take place in the Gaza Strip on the grounds that it had not been consulted about the decision to hold the vote. They also protested a ruling by the Palestinian Supreme Court which ruled that the Hamas-controlled courts in the Gaza Strip did not have jurisdiction to rule on electoral matters. The elections therefore took place in the West Bank only, a scenario which should now be repeated this year. This time Hamas seem to be blaming Mahmoud Abbas's decision to cancel the national elections in May.
The 2012 elections were also held without the participation of Hamas. Only in 2004-05 were elections held in both the West Bank and Gaza under the PA.
Previous elections have seen voting mostly follow predicable party lines, although the influence of powerful families and clans also played an important role.
According to the electoral commission, the percentage of participation in the last municipal elections reached 53.9%, little changed from the percentage in the 2012 elections of 53.8% - both figures a lot lower than the 95% registered for the national elections.
The PA and several smaller parties have called on Hamas to allow elections in Gaza even if they and their allies do not participate. I'd be amazed if that happens, despite Hamas posing as the champions of democracy back in May when they used the cancellation of elections as one of their excuses for launching missiles at Israel. As for the PA's decision to hold elections - it's probably an attempt to show their potential financial backers in the international community that they are, after all, democrats ( as long as Abbas's job isn't on the line).
Don't get too excited, though - these are municipal elections, the equivalent of our local elections.
The first phase of the elections are due on December 11 for 388 municipalities and village councils in the West Bank and the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip. The second phase of the elections will be held at a later date - this is for major towns and cities in Areas A and B of the West Bank. The elections would be just the fourth since the establishment of the PA in 1994, and the first since 2017.
In June, the PA government dissolved the elected municipal and village councils after their term expired and turned them into caretaker committees under the supervision of the Ministry of Local Government until new elections, promised before the end of the year.
There are 121 municipalities: 96 in the West Bank, and 25 in Gaza. However, elections in Gaza require the approval of Hamas, who have today announced they will not allow them to take place.
In 2017, Hamas refused to allow the elections to take place in the Gaza Strip on the grounds that it had not been consulted about the decision to hold the vote. They also protested a ruling by the Palestinian Supreme Court which ruled that the Hamas-controlled courts in the Gaza Strip did not have jurisdiction to rule on electoral matters. The elections therefore took place in the West Bank only, a scenario which should now be repeated this year. This time Hamas seem to be blaming Mahmoud Abbas's decision to cancel the national elections in May.
The 2012 elections were also held without the participation of Hamas. Only in 2004-05 were elections held in both the West Bank and Gaza under the PA.
Previous elections have seen voting mostly follow predicable party lines, although the influence of powerful families and clans also played an important role.
According to the electoral commission, the percentage of participation in the last municipal elections reached 53.9%, little changed from the percentage in the 2012 elections of 53.8% - both figures a lot lower than the 95% registered for the national elections.
The PA and several smaller parties have called on Hamas to allow elections in Gaza even if they and their allies do not participate. I'd be amazed if that happens, despite Hamas posing as the champions of democracy back in May when they used the cancellation of elections as one of their excuses for launching missiles at Israel. As for the PA's decision to hold elections - it's probably an attempt to show their potential financial backers in the international community that they are, after all, democrats ( as long as Abbas's job isn't on the line).
BigMick
Player Valuation: £20m
As it has received zero coverage in the western press I thought I should give a few details about a conference hosted by Hamas in Gaza yesterday, 30th September. It bore the grandiose title of "The Promise of the Hereafter - Palestine After Liberation" -essentially, it's the Hamas vision of the future, following the defeat of Israel.
At the end of the conference a 20 point communique was issued - some of it technical and not particularly interesting, such as:
1. The potential sovereign authority of the liberation leadership is the formation of the “Palestine Liberation Committee” from a group of Palestinian and Arab forces that adopt the idea of liberating Palestine, supported by an alliance of friendly countries.
Here are some of the more interesting bits:
7. Preparing the wording of the Palestinian declaration to extend Palestinian sovereignty over the territory of the 48 lands, in which the position on the various agreements and treaties is supposed to be specified.
10. It is likely that the State of Palestine will inherit border demarcation agreements from the ephemeral State of Israel with Egypt and Jordan, as well as agreements to share economic areas in the eastern Mediterranean with Greece, as well as the right of passage and navigation in the Gulf of Aqaba and so on. A way can be found with wisdom and active diplomacy to ensure that none of the interests of anyone, whether the successor state (Palestine) or other states parties to international treaties, are harmed.
11. Forming a committee of legal experts that will from now on study all the conventions, treaties and organisations to which the State of Israel has acceded, make recommendations regarding each of them, and determine the treaties that will be bequeathed to the State of Palestine by its choice and the others that are not.
14. Work must be done to form a nucleus of financial management that is ready to take over its work directly during the liberalisation process. This issue is part of managing the liberation process because of the negative impact of the absence of such a system on social security due to the loss of societal confidence and the absence of an acceptable and agreed monetary base for exchanging benefits locally and acquiring goods foreign. Therefore, the new Palestinian pound must be distributed at a crucial time to prevent things from deteriorating, and it must be replaced for internal use from now on so that people can get used to it. It is also possible to agree with one of the neighbouring Arab countries to replace its currency temporarily during the transitional period. In any case, the Palestinian People's Congress recommends not keeping the shekel, and transferring their savings to gold, dollars or dinar.
15. A distinction must be made in the treatment of Jews who settled in the land of Palestine, between a warrior, who must be fought, and a fugitive who can be left or prosecuted for crimes, or a pacifist who surrenders, who can be accommodated or allowed to leave, an issue that deserves closer consideration and presenting the human spirit that always characterises Islam.
16. Keeping the Jews, scholars and experts in the fields of medicine, engineering, technology, civil and military industry, for a while and not letting them leave with the knowledge, science and experience they acquired while they reside on our land and eat our goods, and we pay the price for all of that from our humiliation, poverty, disease, deprivation, killing and imprisonment.
18. From the first moments of the collapse of "Israel", the security services of the transitional government must seize the data of the occupation agents in Palestine, the region and the world, and the names of Jewish and non-Jewish recruits locally and internationally, which is considered a great information treasure that must not be lost; With this treasure, we can purify Palestine and the Arab and Islamic world from the hypocritical scum who have wreaked havoc on the land.
20. When the battle to liberate Palestine erupts, the Palestinian fighters will be most preoccupied with securing the capabilities of Palestine, which requires the provision of other people who are not involved in the battle process, and who have the physical and mental capacity and appropriate training, to be organised into popular committees that can be called “protection teams.” It includes men over forty, women, and Palestinians from inside and outside Palestine, whose main task is to secure and count the country's capabilities, by training them and then distributing them to working groups. According to an administrative system that coordinates with the military commander, its preparations begin from now on in the Gaza Strip first.
Finally: the hour of action has come, and the preparation for the liberation of Palestine began with the spirit of liberation that took place in this conference, and from the preparations of the fighters whose souls yearn to liberate Palestine’s riches and sanctities, and we are on a date with victory, which God promised to His servants: “If you help, God will help you and make firm your feet.” And if they ask you when it is, say, “Perhaps it will be soon."
Peace, mercy and blessings of God.
Back in the real world, there are people in Gaza living on handouts while the corrupt elite live the good life and waste their time coming up with nonsense like this.
At the end of the conference a 20 point communique was issued - some of it technical and not particularly interesting, such as:
1. The potential sovereign authority of the liberation leadership is the formation of the “Palestine Liberation Committee” from a group of Palestinian and Arab forces that adopt the idea of liberating Palestine, supported by an alliance of friendly countries.
Here are some of the more interesting bits:
7. Preparing the wording of the Palestinian declaration to extend Palestinian sovereignty over the territory of the 48 lands, in which the position on the various agreements and treaties is supposed to be specified.
10. It is likely that the State of Palestine will inherit border demarcation agreements from the ephemeral State of Israel with Egypt and Jordan, as well as agreements to share economic areas in the eastern Mediterranean with Greece, as well as the right of passage and navigation in the Gulf of Aqaba and so on. A way can be found with wisdom and active diplomacy to ensure that none of the interests of anyone, whether the successor state (Palestine) or other states parties to international treaties, are harmed.
11. Forming a committee of legal experts that will from now on study all the conventions, treaties and organisations to which the State of Israel has acceded, make recommendations regarding each of them, and determine the treaties that will be bequeathed to the State of Palestine by its choice and the others that are not.
14. Work must be done to form a nucleus of financial management that is ready to take over its work directly during the liberalisation process. This issue is part of managing the liberation process because of the negative impact of the absence of such a system on social security due to the loss of societal confidence and the absence of an acceptable and agreed monetary base for exchanging benefits locally and acquiring goods foreign. Therefore, the new Palestinian pound must be distributed at a crucial time to prevent things from deteriorating, and it must be replaced for internal use from now on so that people can get used to it. It is also possible to agree with one of the neighbouring Arab countries to replace its currency temporarily during the transitional period. In any case, the Palestinian People's Congress recommends not keeping the shekel, and transferring their savings to gold, dollars or dinar.
15. A distinction must be made in the treatment of Jews who settled in the land of Palestine, between a warrior, who must be fought, and a fugitive who can be left or prosecuted for crimes, or a pacifist who surrenders, who can be accommodated or allowed to leave, an issue that deserves closer consideration and presenting the human spirit that always characterises Islam.
16. Keeping the Jews, scholars and experts in the fields of medicine, engineering, technology, civil and military industry, for a while and not letting them leave with the knowledge, science and experience they acquired while they reside on our land and eat our goods, and we pay the price for all of that from our humiliation, poverty, disease, deprivation, killing and imprisonment.
18. From the first moments of the collapse of "Israel", the security services of the transitional government must seize the data of the occupation agents in Palestine, the region and the world, and the names of Jewish and non-Jewish recruits locally and internationally, which is considered a great information treasure that must not be lost; With this treasure, we can purify Palestine and the Arab and Islamic world from the hypocritical scum who have wreaked havoc on the land.
20. When the battle to liberate Palestine erupts, the Palestinian fighters will be most preoccupied with securing the capabilities of Palestine, which requires the provision of other people who are not involved in the battle process, and who have the physical and mental capacity and appropriate training, to be organised into popular committees that can be called “protection teams.” It includes men over forty, women, and Palestinians from inside and outside Palestine, whose main task is to secure and count the country's capabilities, by training them and then distributing them to working groups. According to an administrative system that coordinates with the military commander, its preparations begin from now on in the Gaza Strip first.
Finally: the hour of action has come, and the preparation for the liberation of Palestine began with the spirit of liberation that took place in this conference, and from the preparations of the fighters whose souls yearn to liberate Palestine’s riches and sanctities, and we are on a date with victory, which God promised to His servants: “If you help, God will help you and make firm your feet.” And if they ask you when it is, say, “Perhaps it will be soon."
Peace, mercy and blessings of God.
Back in the real world, there are people in Gaza living on handouts while the corrupt elite live the good life and waste their time coming up with nonsense like this.
BigMick
Player Valuation: £20m
Photo of the Year
Look closely - that's not a picture on the wall. This was the scene at Gaza's Commerce Chamber yesterday as more than 10,000 people rushed to apply for 2,500 additional work permits in Israel. Similar chaotic scenes elsewhere in the Strip.
With peace, and less of the Hamas nonsense revealed in my previous post, more permits would be issued and the downward economic spiral in Gaza would begin to be turned around.
Look closely - that's not a picture on the wall. This was the scene at Gaza's Commerce Chamber yesterday as more than 10,000 people rushed to apply for 2,500 additional work permits in Israel. Similar chaotic scenes elsewhere in the Strip.
With peace, and less of the Hamas nonsense revealed in my previous post, more permits would be issued and the downward economic spiral in Gaza would begin to be turned around.
Toffeeslam
Player Valuation: £40m
Israel quietly advances settlements with little US pushback
Israel is quietly advancing controversial settlement projects in and around Jerusalem while refraining from major announcements that could anger the Biden administration
www.google.com
The actions of governments that really want peace.
yeah right !!!!!
BigMick
Player Valuation: £20m
Thanks for highlighting this article - good to see some coverage in the UK.Israel quietly advances settlements with little US pushback
Israel is quietly advancing controversial settlement projects in and around Jerusalem while refraining from major announcements that could anger the Biden administration
The actions of governments that really want peace.
yeah right !!!!!
I would be a lot happier if this wasn't happening but we have to live in the real world which has a fragile government having to balance all their actions to appease both right and left - and often end up pleasing no-one!
Regarding the article, I would say it's reasonable although I do have a few quibbles.
"Israel is quietly advancing..." - quietly? Made the headline news! It's good, though, that the Independent have picked up on it, even if they've taken it verbatim from a news agency.
"Critics say it would largely bisect the occupied West Bank, making it impossible to establish a viable Palestinian state alongside Israel." It wouldn't bisect the West Bank - the northern and southern parts of the West Bank are connected by land to the east that is at its narrowest point about 10 miles wide - doesn't sound much but to put in context it's slightly more than the narrowest point from the Mediterranean to the Green Line.
All these developments have been planned for years. It's impossible for this government to cancel them without collapsing and allowing an emboldened Netanyahu to return. A key line is tucked away in the article: "The other projects are still progressing through a long bureaucratic process, and it could be months or years before shovels break ground." Other developments have been kicked into the long grass - the same will probably happen with some of these.
There are other things happening that I would oppose, and things not happening that I would like, but I prefer to concentrate on the good things the new government is doing - here are some, many not publicised in the UK:
Re-establishing ties at all levels with the PA after 10 years of neglect - opposed by right-wingers in both Israel and Palestine. They've even held three meetings with Abbas!
Issuing 16,000 extra work permits for Palestinians in the West Bank - bringing the total up to 138,000 legally working in Israel or in settlements - there are many more working illegally. This brings vital money into the Palestine economy - the figure needs to go higher, as does the figure for Gaza. Opposed by right-wingers in Israel and Palestine.
Authorising Palestinian homes in Area C for the first time - not many, but this is a huge step which has infuriated the right.
Approving residency for hundreds of undocumented Palestinians - tip of an iceberg but the first time this has happened since 2007. Opposed by the right. It could just be a sop, but it might be the sign of things to come with a stronger, re-elected government.
Re-establishing ties with Jordan, so important to the West Bank, as well as Israel (and Jordan).
Lapid's plan for Gaza - widely praised throughout the world - but action and not praise will be needed sooner rather than later.
Legalising three Bedouin villages in the Negev - more needed but it's a start. Opposed by the right.
An eye-watering $10.3 billion to be spent on Israeli-Arab communities in next 5 years, accompanied by billions more in initiatives to fight crime and increase access to health care. These are subject to the budget passing next month; it probably will but they need every vote from the coalition to pass it. If it fails, the government automatically collapses and another election will follow, with the almost certain return of Netanyahu. Opposed by the right.
Finally, the coalition government includes members (and ministers), both Arab and Jew, who have campaigned against settlements all their adult life, sometimes putting their bodies on the line in doing so. They also understand the importance of this government succeeding for Israelis - both Jews and Arabs - and Palestinians. If they are prepared to compromise and put up with the present policy then that is good enough for me - for now.
BigMick
Player Valuation: £20m
The latest Palestinian opinion poll has shown a marked shift in support of the two main parties, Fatah and Hamas. Previouly, Hamas has been surfing the wave of popularity given to them by the May war, but with the passing months the realisation is gradually dawning that it achieved precisely nothing and, if anything, made life worse for the ordinary Gazans.
The poll shows Fatah on 38% and Hamas on 33%, still close but a 16% swing compared to the previous poll. It's still well short of the lead Fatah held prior to their 3-way split during the aborted election campaign. And this is with the unrelentingly unpopular Mahmoud Abbas as leader and president - 74% want him to resign, 22% want him to remain in charge.
Only 13% want Hamas to form the next government, similar to the previous poll.
As well as reality about the war sinking in there are probably a couple of other reasons for Fatah's resurgence.
One is the more aggressive propaganda campaign mounted by the PA in the last couple of months, rather than just trying to counter Hamas propaganda. Typical are these two cartoons which recently appeared in various West Bank media.
Both criticise Hamas for using civilians as human shields for their missile launching, something they were afraid to do during the war and in the immediate aftermath.
In this one the suited man making the victory sign has Hamas written on his chest, while the unhappy one with the target on his chest has 'The Palestinian people' written on his.
The final reason is likely to be the implementation by Israel of some of the confidence building measures that the PA and Israel agreed to recently, such as family unifications and the rise in the number of Palestinians allowed to work in Israel - 56% are in favour, 35 % against. Those figures should encourage both the PA and Israel to step up these measures even further.
It also shows that Hamas are rightly receiving no credit for their citizens again being allowed into Israel to work, a figure raised to 10,000 last week, the highest it has been since 2007. I would like to see that figure raised to at least 50,000 eventually. My post on 8th October showed the crowds of desperate people trying to claim one of the visas - a couple of days later all the offices were raided by Hamas and details of the applicants taken away, for unknown purposes.
It should be noted that polling took place before the recent furore over Israel designating 6 PFLP connected NGOs as terror organisations and the go ahead for almost 2000 apartments to be built in West Bank settlements. Perhaps the proposed legalising of Palestinian buildings in Area C will alleviate the effects of those issues, along with the promise of more to come. While that announcement is at best a footnote to the settlement story in the west, it's a different matter on the ground.
The poll shows Fatah on 38% and Hamas on 33%, still close but a 16% swing compared to the previous poll. It's still well short of the lead Fatah held prior to their 3-way split during the aborted election campaign. And this is with the unrelentingly unpopular Mahmoud Abbas as leader and president - 74% want him to resign, 22% want him to remain in charge.
Only 13% want Hamas to form the next government, similar to the previous poll.
As well as reality about the war sinking in there are probably a couple of other reasons for Fatah's resurgence.
One is the more aggressive propaganda campaign mounted by the PA in the last couple of months, rather than just trying to counter Hamas propaganda. Typical are these two cartoons which recently appeared in various West Bank media.
Both criticise Hamas for using civilians as human shields for their missile launching, something they were afraid to do during the war and in the immediate aftermath.
In this one the suited man making the victory sign has Hamas written on his chest, while the unhappy one with the target on his chest has 'The Palestinian people' written on his.
The final reason is likely to be the implementation by Israel of some of the confidence building measures that the PA and Israel agreed to recently, such as family unifications and the rise in the number of Palestinians allowed to work in Israel - 56% are in favour, 35 % against. Those figures should encourage both the PA and Israel to step up these measures even further.
It also shows that Hamas are rightly receiving no credit for their citizens again being allowed into Israel to work, a figure raised to 10,000 last week, the highest it has been since 2007. I would like to see that figure raised to at least 50,000 eventually. My post on 8th October showed the crowds of desperate people trying to claim one of the visas - a couple of days later all the offices were raided by Hamas and details of the applicants taken away, for unknown purposes.
It should be noted that polling took place before the recent furore over Israel designating 6 PFLP connected NGOs as terror organisations and the go ahead for almost 2000 apartments to be built in West Bank settlements. Perhaps the proposed legalising of Palestinian buildings in Area C will alleviate the effects of those issues, along with the promise of more to come. While that announcement is at best a footnote to the settlement story in the west, it's a different matter on the ground.
- Status