The Authority... between the hammer of annexation and the anvil of the "day after"

With the return of "day after" scenarios to the forefront of political debate, meetings, statements, and diplomatic maneuvers by the Palestinian Authority have intensified. The latest of these was the meeting between the Vice President and the US Ambassador. This meeting came at a highly sensitive time, following a long period of estrangement - at least publicly - from both Trump administrations. It coincided with the Knesset's vote on a plan to annex the West Bank, a clear message from the occupation that it is proceeding with its strategies, without regard for the Palestinian or international position, and without waiting for anyone's permission.

In light of these transformations, the official Palestinian scene is becoming increasingly fragile and weak. Despite statements about its readiness to administer Gaza after the war, the facts reveal a more complex picture, perhaps the most complex ever; an unprecedented financial crisis, and the ongoing erosion of its legitimacy and popularity, compounded by a complete inability to move forward, even a single step, on the internal file, or agree on a minimal program. Thus, the Authority appears besieged from all sides; between pressure from the occupation, which refuses its return to Gaza and even strangles it financially and politically, on the one hand, and the legacy of chronic division on the other hand, which has transformed Gaza into a semi-independent entity, both in reality and politically.

Yesterday's Knesset vote on the annexation plan is not merely a symbolic step. Although it was merely formal, or more of a declaration of a position, it represents a dangerous shift, revealing an ongoing effort to shrink the remaining political margin available to the PA, both spatially and temporally. It establishes facts on the ground that are impossible to change in the future, at least with current tools. The past two years have demonstrated the PA's limited ability to act and clearly exposed its weaknesses, amid a comprehensive and escalating aggression on Gaza that has lasted 657 days. This aggression has manifested in the destruction of infrastructure, the killing and starvation of civilians, in addition to the ongoing aggression in the West Bank, especially in Tulkarm and Jenin, the unprecedented expansion of settlements and settler violence, and the escalation of forced displacement and home demolitions.

In contrast, the PA appeared to lack any real leverage; its traditional tools had been exhausted, rendering it no longer capable of imposing any conditions, whether in the West Bank or Gaza, or even protecting itself politically. The Sheikh-Huckabee meeting was a reflection of this predicament; a last-minute bet on the "American option," a search for a breakthrough in the dead end, or a financial and political breakthrough. However, these bets will not alter the essence of its structural crisis, especially given the Trump administration's declared bias toward the occupation, which has further complicated the situation and limited its options to an unprecedented degree.

This policy clearly indicates a loss of initiative or the ability to act, in light of fading Arab and international support and growing popular anger. The PA's options have become extremely limited, perhaps confined to remaining in its traditional functional role and clinging to the illusion of a settlement, or a political and popular adventure that restores respect for national identity. However, the reality shows that statements about readiness to take over and administer Gaza do not go beyond media maneuvering, or an attempt to suggest that it is still a major player. The situation, however, demands a radical review, beginning with restoring respect for the PLO and developing a national program that seriously confronts the occupation's policies. Among the possible practical solutions - even if they seem costly - are launching an immediate national reconciliation, forming a national salvation government that unites all Palestinians, rebuilding institutions, and adopting a resistance strategy that confuses the occupation's calculations.

If the situation continues as it is, the Authority will continue to move in a very narrow path, while the occupation continues to impose its facts on the ground and expand its losses day after day. Then it will have no choice but to make a decisive decision to leave the waiting seats and truly integrate with the aspirations of its people and the requirements of the stage. Without that, its time in administering the West Bank or Gaza - if it is achieved - will remain a mere passing scene, or a final chapter in a long and difficult historical era, before the major transformations close the door to the possibility of going back.