At this critical moment, Palestinian leaders should come together to develop a clear strategy to reunify the Palestinian people.
As Israel continues its war on Gaza, causing loss of life and displacement on a scale that has led to it being called a “genocide” by various experts, the Palestinian liberation struggle finds itself at a critical juncture. .
Although they undoubtedly recognize the importance of the current moment, Palestinian political factions, notably Hamas and Fatah, appear unable to unite and develop a coherent and realistic vision for Palestine’s future. It is imperative for them to put aside their differences, recognize their moral responsibilities to the nation and come together to develop a clear strategy for the reunification of the Palestinian people. Such a strategy must not only thwart Israel’s well-defined and openly discussed plan to ethnically cleanse Gaza and detach it from the Palestinian homeland, but also respond to Israeli efforts to displace Palestinians in the West Bank and within Israel itself.
As a Palestinian from Gaza, I believe that at this stage of the conflict, opportunities are ripe to end the ongoing war in Gaza, unite Palestinian factions, and launch a new political path to end the occupation. There are 10 clear steps that could and should be taken, starting with the Palestinian leadership, to achieve this and put our nation on a direct path to justice, peace and statehood:
- Above all, all Palestinian factions should commit to respecting and ultimately expanding the Qatar-brokered deal to exchange Israeli captives in Gaza for Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons.
- Hamas should declare its acceptance and commitment to the Fatah reconciliation agreement it signed in Cairo in 2017. It should call on the Palestinian Authority to assume its responsibilities in Gaza and also reaffirm the commitment of the factions of the resistance in Gaza to all agreements signed by the Palestinian Authority. Liberation Organization (PLO). To counter Israel’s destructive postwar plans for Gaza, Palestinian leaders should establish an interim governing council for the strip comprising technocrats from the region. All former members of the Palestinian Authority in Gaza, including the police, should be called back to duty. This plan should also include the retention of Hamas civilian employees, including the police. The reintegration of Hamas fighters and weaponry into Palestinian Authority forces after the end of the war is also expected to remain under review.
- Hamas should publicly recognize the peace agreements signed between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) as the basis for a peace process, and agree to the scheduling of elections for the entire Palestinian territory within a one year. In return, Israel should be pressured to recognize a reformed Hamas as a dominant Palestinian political faction and a party to future negotiations.
- The PLO should be reactivated and reformed so as to guarantee the representation of all Palestinian parties and components within its structures. Particular emphasis should be placed on empowering young Palestinian men and women so that they can assume meaningful roles within the organization and have a say in the future of Palestine. The reformed PLO should include not only Fatah, Hamas and other PLO factions, but also representatives of the Palestinian diaspora, as well as independent representatives from across the country. Members of the organization should be re-elected every four years in free and fair elections, and it should be agreed that the organization will have the final say on all critical issues concerning the Palestinian people until a Independent Palestinian state is established.
- The reconstruction of Gaza must begin immediately under international and Arab supervision. Although the international community should help fund the project, the brunt of the financial burden should be placed on Israel as the occupying power responsible for the destruction. The reconstruction effort must serve to put Gaza on the path to sustainable economic growth. It should also aim to address the rapid depletion of the Gaza Strip’s environmental resources following the occupation, including problems related to water and electricity shortages, the shrinking of fishing grounds and the destruction of agricultural land, among others.
- Israel should be required to create a compensation fund for families – both Israeli and Palestinian – victims of its wars, aggression and occupation. Western countries embraced the idea that Russia would be forced to pay for its war in Ukraine and that Ukraine would be rebuilt using frozen Russian assets. Palestinian leaders should insist that the same responsibility be imposed on Israel.
- International observers should be deployed along Israeli borders to prevent clashes. Turkiye (Turkey), which is accepted as an honest broker by the Palestinians and maintains close relations with the West and Israel as a NATO member, could be asked to take on this important responsibility.
- The siege of Gaza must be lifted, fully and unconditionally, with the reopening of its border crossings, airports and ports and full freedom of movement for its residents. A permanent and secure crossing between Gaza and the West Bank should also be established. Turkey can also play a crucial role in opening Gaza to the world, establishing sea and air bridges for reconstruction and development.
- Israel should be pressured to immediately and unconditionally end all its settlement activities and begin comprehensive negotiations to end its occupation under UN auspices, based on the 1967 borders, and within a predefined period not exceeding three years. The Arab League should continue to push for its 2002 Arab Peace Initiative, which called on all Arab states to recognize and normalize relations with Israel in exchange for the creation of a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital. Any further attempts at standardization should be frozen until this goal is achieved.
- Finally, if this political path towards lasting peace and dignified coexistence fails or faces significant obstacles, a reformed PLO controlled by the Palestinian people through regular elections should be accepted as the only entity capable of deciding on future direction. and the nature of the Palestinian struggle for liberation.
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial position of Tel Aviv Tribune.
