The Palestinian Authority and the feasibility of reform in the context of genocide and annexation

The Israeli war of extermination and starvation on the besieged Gaza Strip is approaching the end of its second year, while the occupied West Bank and the city of Jerusalem are subjected to systematic assaults aimed at imposing a new reality. In this context, the Palestinian Authority is seeking to take reformative steps, such as calling for elections for the Palestinian National Council, in an attempt to respond to Arab and international pressures.

Pressure is mounting on the Palestinian leadership, with questions arising about the feasibility of these reforms in light of the ongoing Israeli occupation. Experts agree that the Authority has several options to confront the challenges, but it prefers a policy of distancing itself, raising questions about the legitimacy of its continued existence.

Strengthening the Palestinian internal front is considered one of the key options to confront Israeli schemes, as the occupation seeks to erase the entire Palestinian cause. However, the Palestinian Authority appears stuck between a political deadlock and international pressures, rendering its options ineffective.

The call for elections to the National Council comes under difficult circumstances, with some believing that these elections are merely an attempt to appease international pressures and have no real connection to the Palestinian reality. Many wonder about the possibility of holding genuine elections under occupation.

The current phase requires a redefinition of the Palestinian national project, not just the maintenance of the administrative entity of the Authority. Attention must shift to revitalizing the tools of national action, activating popular resistance, and internationalizing Israeli crimes.

Palestinian unity remains a fundamental condition to confront the disintegration faced by the cause, and there must be genuine efforts to achieve that. The Palestinian Authority needs to change its functions and focus on service aspects, away from the political role that should be the prerogative of the Palestine Liberation Organization.

Amid these challenges, the priority must be to stop the aggression on Gaza, provide relief to the Palestinian people, and work to confront settlement expansion and annexation projects. This requires activating the mass movement and organizing unified events across all governorates.

The Authority cannot be relied upon as a key actor in confronting the occupation; rather, there must be a clear vision for what comes after the Authority, with the necessity of building a comprehensive alternative that reorganizes the national ranks. Any call for reform must stem from the Palestinian national will, not as a submission to external conditions.