The Chief of Staff of the Israeli occupation army, Eyal Zamir, conducted a field tour in the Gaza Strip on Thursday, accompanied by the commander of the Southern Command, the commander of the 252nd Division, and a number of military leaders, according to a brief statement by the army.

During his meeting with the soldiers, Zamir stressed the importance of constant readiness, saying: “You have to be prepared and ready and train all the time. Look at the houses behind you, at the houses of Sderot, you are defending its citizens.”

He continued: "You are the first line of defense, and you bear a great responsibility, and I have complete confidence in you that you will perform your duties to the fullest."

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation is preparing to hold an extraordinary meeting of the Council of Foreign Ministers tomorrow, Friday, at the headquarters of the organization's General Secretariat in Jeddah, to discuss the ongoing Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people and the plans for annexation and displacement from their land.

According to the Union of News Agencies of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (UNA), this meeting comes to confirm the rejection of the policies of displacement, annexation, aggression and destruction, and sends a clear message to the world that the Palestinian issue remains the central issue of the Islamic nation.

Steve Witkoff, US President Donald Trump's special envoy, said that US discussions with Hamas activists came recently, and that the message to the movement is that the United States wants the hostages back.

Witkoff also said the United States did not believe Hamas was being forthright.

The US envoy to the Middle East praised Egypt for presenting a new plan for Gaza without endorsing the details contained in this proposal as an alternative to President Donald Trump's project for US control of the Palestinian Strip and the expulsion of its residents.

"We need more discussion about it, but it is a first step of good faith on the part of the Egyptians," Witkoff said.

Ceasefire talks with Russia

Witkov said he intends to travel to Saudi Arabia to discuss with Ukrainian envoys a ceasefire with Russia and a "framework" for a permanent peace agreement.

"We are currently in discussions to coordinate a meeting with the Ukrainians in Riyadh or maybe in Jeddah," Witkov said, stressing that "the idea is to establish a framework for a peace agreement and an initial ceasefire." In Kiev, a Ukrainian official told Agence France-Presse that American and Ukrainian delegations will meet in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday.

The general manager of the Israeli branch of the American Jewish left movement "J Street", Nadav Tamir, attacked the policy of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government, accusing it of sabotaging efforts to calm the situation in the region. He considered its war goals to be illusory, its political claims to be false, and that what it wants today is to abort the political settlement.

“Since October 7, the Netanyahu government has been selling us the illusion of ‘absolute victory.’ In practice, there is no real plan to defeat Hamas, because the idea of a Gaza without Hamas, under the rule of a renewed Palestinian Authority and with regional support, threatens Netanyahu more than anything else,” Tamir said.

"Hamas also knows that the moment another Arab-Palestinian force enters Gaza, it will lose its grip, not only on the government, but also on the Palestinian public in Gaza, which is waiting for the moment when it can be freed from Hamas's destructive strangulation. Thus a desperate alliance was created, the price of which is paid by the kidnapped soldiers, the civilians and the soldiers," he added.

Tamir told the Israeli newspaper Maariv that “the detainees in Gaza are not at the top of Netanyahu’s concerns, but rather his fear of any political change that would lead to the dismantling of his government.”

He noted that Netanyahu has been following the same approach over the years: when there is a ceasefire, he does everything in his power to prevent a transition to a political process. When there is a war, he talks about a “decisive” outcome that cannot be achieved.

“Israel could have chosen something else,” he continued. “It could have introduced a Palestinian entity in coordination with moderate Arab states, and created a new governing mechanism in Gaza. But for that to happen, the government would have had to conduct a real political process, one that Netanyahu would never allow, because it would destroy the ideological basis of his rule in recent decades: weakening the Palestinian Authority, erasing the Green Line, and de facto annexation of the West Bank.”

"Creating a new reality"

Tamir refuted Netanyahu’s claims about Hamas, saying that the movement “will survive as long as there is no other force capable of ruling Gaza. For such a force to exist, Israel must stop acting with military impulse, begin formulating a political vision, and cooperate with the Palestinian Authority and moderate Arab states, which will lead to the establishment of a civil-security governing mechanism that can govern Gaza on the ‘day after.’ This is the only solution that will not lead to another round of bloodshed in a few years.”

“Israel must return to the negotiating table with moderate Arab states, just as it did during the Abraham Accords,” he continued. “This time, however, such a move must include the Palestinian Authority, with mechanisms to ensure that it becomes a more effective body. As long as Gaza lives under Hamas, it will send one message to the world: We are the fighters against the Zionist occupation.”

"The way to change this is not through more bombing, but by creating a new reality on the ground: infrastructure, an economy, and a different future for the people of Gaza," he added.

The American Jewish leftist official concluded by saying: “Whoever talks today about ‘eliminating Hamas’ while conspiring all the time to create an alternative government in Gaza, is lying brazenly. Israel under Netanyahu will not defeat Hamas, but rather he is using it.”

He stressed: "The only way to break free from the cycle of blood is to stop managing the conflict and work in a way that creates a reality in which Hamas is no longer a relevant party. It is not certain that this can happen under Netanyahu's leadership."

Hundreds of students gathered on the campus of the prestigious Columbia University in New York City on Wednesday, in a demonstration against former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, who was on campus to give a speech, calling him a "war criminal."

Student demonstrations have swept across most American universities across the country since Israel began its war on the Gaza Strip, which Israel waged with unprecedented brutality, targeting Palestinian civilians in the wake of the Hamas attack known as “Al-Aqsa Flood” on October 7, 2025 on the Gaza envelope area.

“The decision to host a man with a history of violence and open discrimination sends a message that the university values some voices over others,” a spokesperson for the Columbia Palestine Solidarity Coalition, one of the groups involved in the protest, said in a statement.

A university spokesperson told the campus newspaper, The Columbia Spectator, that officials coordinated with the pro-Israel student branch of Hillel on security preparations for the event, “including regarding any protest activity on campus and to minimize potential disruptions to academic activities.”

It is noteworthy that Bennett did not just boast about killing Palestinians and Arabs, but he previously pledged to do everything in his power to displace Palestinians from the besieged Gaza Strip, as well as from the occupied West Bank.

Bennett said in 2018, when he was education minister and three years before becoming prime minister, that he would order the army to shoot and kill Palestinian children who breach the border fence with Gaza, saying: “They are not children — they are terrorists.”

In a statement released ahead of his speech, the student committees that organized the protest said they learned of the conversation from a leaked email in which organizers allegedly sought to keep the rally under the radar and urged that the speaker's identity be kept secret.

“The decision to host a man with a history of violence and open discrimination sends a message that the university values some voices over others,” a spokesperson for the Columbia University Palestine Solidarity Coalition, one of the groups participating in the protest, said in a statement.

“They are bombing Israel left and right, they are bypassing Congress and encouraging ethnic cleansing, they are encouraging them to expel people in Gaza. Now, students are facing expulsion from the university,” said one protester.

It is also noteworthy that between October 7, 2023 and January 19, 2025, Israel committed genocide in its war on Gaza, leaving more than 160,000 Palestinian martyrs and wounded, most of them children and women, and more than 14,000 missing, with full American support, in terms of weapons, equipment, money and diplomacy.

Police called on protesters to leave the university after announcing a bomb threat on the campus of Barnard College.

After the police demanded that the university be evacuated, the police forces entered and arrested a number of demonstrators.

Earlier on Wednesday, pro-Palestine students gathered at the university library building to protest Bennett's visit, wearing Palestinian keffiyehs and waving the Palestinian flag.

The French Foreign Ministry condemned the Israeli authorities' suspension of the entry of humanitarian aid into the Palestinian Gaza Strip during the month of Ramadan.

This was stated by French Foreign Ministry spokesman Christophe Lemoyne on Thursday, during a press conference held in the capital, Paris.

Lemoine said that France condemned, in a joint statement with Britain, Israel's prevention of aid from entering Gaza.

He added: "We strongly condemn the Israeli government's decision to suspend aid, and we call on Israel to abide by its responsibilities and allow aid to enter the Gaza Strip."

The French Foreign Ministry spokesman pointed out the importance of delivering humanitarian aid to Gaza, given the catastrophic situation the Palestinians are experiencing there.

Last Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said about stopping the entry of humanitarian aid to Gaza: “We decided the day before yesterday (Saturday) to stop the entry of goods and supplies into the Gaza Strip.”

Aid entered the Gaza Strip through the Kerem Shalom crossing in the south of the Strip, and through a crossing or point that Israel created during the genocide war, located northwest of the Strip and called "Zikim", and the Beit Hanoun "Erez" checkpoint in the north of the Strip.

The military spokesman for the Al-Qassam Brigades, Abu Obeida, confirmed that the Israeli occupation has evaded many of its obligations that are considered basic rights for the Palestinian people, stressing that the resistance has committed to the agreement out of respect for the mediators’ pledges.

Abu Obeida added, in a press statement, that the world has witnessed the good health of the detainees despite the difficulty of preserving their lives in light of the "barbaric war," noting that the occupation is seeking American cover to continue its aggression.

Regarding the occupation's threats to return to fighting, Abu Obeida said that they "will only bring disappointment to it," stressing that the resistance is prepared for all possibilities, and that these threats are "a sign of weakness and a feeling of humiliation."

Abu Obeida accused the occupation leadership of trying to evade the agreement, considering that his prime minister seeks to put his partisan interests above the lives of the detainees.

He also pointed out that the occupation continues to abuse Palestinian prisoners, who tell "horrific testimonies of criminal treatment."

He concluded his statement by saying, "The complex of criminality and sadism is nesting in the mind of the occupier, not only in Gaza, but in Lebanon, Syria, and the entire region," stressing that the resistance will not retreat in the face of the occupation's threats.

This evening, Thursday, the Israeli occupation forces stormed the city of Nablus and raided one of the buildings there.

According to local sources, the occupation forces stormed the Rafidia area, took up positions around the An-Najah National University Academy building, and raided one of the buildings there.

A number of citizens suffocated on Thursday evening, during the Israeli occupation forces' storming of the town of Al-Khader, south of Bethlehem.

According to local sources, the occupation forces stormed Al-Khader, and positioned themselves at the gate area on the main Jerusalem-Hebron road, and fired tear gas canisters at the citizens, which led to a number of them suffocating.

A U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress strategic bomber flew with the Israeli Air Force and the British Royal Air Force over the eastern Mediterranean (i.e., the beaches and besieged city of Gaza) on Tuesday, March 4, a U.S. Defense Department official confirmed to Air Forces & Space. The sortie marks the third mission by the strategic bomber task force to the Middle East in just the past month.

Armed with heavy bombs, 30,000 pounds, and nuclear weapons, the B-52 bomber took off from RAF Fairford in the United Kingdom, flew over the Mediterranean Sea, and circled off the coast of Israel, flying alongside Israeli Air Force F-35s and F-15s. The mission also involved integration with Royal Air Force fighters. The RAF has fighters based in the Mediterranean supporting missions in the Middle East.

The mission came just two weeks after B-52s “flew multiple missions over the Arabian Peninsula and Red Sea without landing,” the Air Force Center said in a Feb. 20 news release. Those missions, which took place over two consecutive days, included dropping live weapons. They also included a rare Feb. 17 flight by two U.S. B-52s accompanied by Iraqi F-16s.

“The bomber task force’s missions demonstrate the U.S. military’s ability to rapidly deploy combat power anywhere in the world and integrate with coalition and partner forces to enhance U.S. Central Command’s ability to promote security and stability in the region,” Air Forces Central said in a press release in February.

All of the bomber group's recent missions to the Middle East were flown by B-52s temporarily based at RAF Fairford. These aircraft belonged to the 69th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota.

Bombers have played an increasingly important role in the Middle East over the past year. “In addition to their active deterrent role, bombers have amplified U.S. strike capabilities against Iranian-backed militias over the past year,” U.S. Air Forces Central Command said last month.

In February 2024, the United States used B-1B Lancer bombers to strike 85 targets in Syria and Iraq in response to the killing of three U.S. Army soldiers at Tower 22 in Jordan in a militia drone attack. The site supports the Tanf garrison just across the border in eastern Syria.

The B-52 strategic bomber was deployed at the height of the Cold War, and can remain airborne for days with aerial refueling. It was used extensively in Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan, and remains the primary bomber in America's strike capabilities.

In October 2024, a B-2 Spirit stealth bomber struck Houthi facilities in Yemen. In November 2024, six B-52 bombers deployed to U.S. Central Command for 45 days—the first BUFF deployment to the region since 2019—and participated in airstrikes against ISIS.

On Feb. 27, two B-52s also conducted a simulated weapons drop in Turkey, which, although officially in the U.S. European Command area of responsibility, borders Syria, Iraq and Iran, countries covered by U.S. Central Command, which oversees U.S. forces in the Middle East.

The BUFF aircraft continued their intensive activity on March 3, operating a BTF mission with Romanian F-16s, Croatian Rafale jets and Bulgarian MiG-29s, according to the U.S. Air Forces in Europe (USAFE).

The B-52 maneuvers over Gaza coincided with Trump's threats to open the gates of hell on Gaza.

“‘Shalom Hamas’ means hello and goodbye – you choose. Release all hostages now, not later, and immediately return all bodies of those you have killed, or it’s over for you. Only sick and deranged people keep bodies, and you are sick and deranged! I am sending Israel everything they need to finish the job, and no Hamas member will be safe if you do not do as I say. I just met with your former hostages whose lives were destroyed. This is your final warning! To the leadership, now is the time to leave Gaza, while you still have a chance. Also, to the people of Gaza: A beautiful future awaits you, but not if you hold hostages. If you do, you are dead! Make a smart decision. Release the hostages now, or there will be hell to pay later.”

A young man sustained fractures and wounds, today, Thursday, after the Israeli occupation army attacked him, at the entrance to Al-Arroub camp, north of Hebron.

According to local sources, the occupation soldiers assaulted a number of citizens and abused them with rifle butts, while they were trying to enter the camp to reach their homes, which resulted in a young man being injured and suffering fractures in his face and jaws.

He said that the occupation army stormed the camp, spread out in its alleys, and forced shop owners to close their shops, while firing sound bombs and toxic tear gas at citizens' homes.

An earthquake measuring 4 on the Richter scale struck the Gulf of Aqaba, southern Jordan, on Thursday afternoon.

The Jordanian Seismological Observatory Center said in a statement that an earthquake occurred at 14:42 local time (11:42 GMT).

He added that the earthquake was "felt" and occurred 60 km south of the city of Aqaba, at a depth of 19 km.

As of 12:05 (GMT), the Jordanian authorities have not announced any human losses or material damage.

The southern regions of the Kingdom and the Jordan Valley are witnessing seismic activity, the strongest of which was in the city of Aqaba in November 1995, with a magnitude of 7.3 degrees.

Today, Tuesday, the Israeli occupation forces arrested seven young men and a woman after raiding their homes in Tamoun, south of Tubas.

The director of the Prisoners Club in Tubas, Kamal Bani Odeh, reported that the occupation forces arrested Rashid Burhan Bani Odeh and his two sons, Ahmed and Amjad, the young man Aqab Nidal Bani Odeh, Bassam Muhammad Basharat, Louay Abdul Rahman Basharat, Anas Omar Basharat, in addition to Mrs. Ibtihal Jawdat Bani Odeh, after raiding their homes in the town.

The occupation forces had previously arrested two women and a young man from the town, after raiding their homes in the town.

The occupation is launching a campaign of arrests and field investigations in Tamoun, during the ongoing aggression on the Far'a camp and the town of Tamoun, for three days, and what accompanied it of destroying the infrastructure and citizens' property, and expelling residents from their homes and turning them into military barracks.

China vowed on Thursday to fight a trade war with the United States "to the end" as Washington's tariffs weighed on the global economy and threatened to crimp Beijing's slowing growth.

Beijing set an ambitious annual growth target of around 5% this week, pledging that domestic demand will be the main driver of the economy as an escalating trade standoff with the United States hurts exports.

US President Donald Trump imposed more sweeping tariffs on Chinese imports this week, following a similar move last month. The tariffs are expected to add hundreds of billions of dollars to total trade between the world’s two largest economies.

Commerce Minister Wang Wentao warned that US tariffs threaten to "destabilize the global industrial supply chain and dampen global economic growth."

"If the United States continues on this wrong path, we will fight to the end," he said at a press conference, accusing Washington of "acting unilaterally and bullying."

China's chief economic planner, Zheng Shanjie, admitted that "the uncertainty in the external environment is getting more and more intense."

But he said China had "full confidence" in its ability to meet its growth target this year.

"We have the basic support and guarantee to achieve this year's growth target of around 5 percent," Cheng said, speaking alongside Wang on the sidelines of annual political meetings in Beijing.

"We also face some problems, such as insufficient domestic demand and production and operating difficulties in some industries and companies," he added.

"However, we feel that these difficulties and challenges... can be overcome and resolved," he continued.

China's key growth figures, announced by Premier Li Keqiang on Wednesday at the Communist Party's annual meeting, were largely in line with a poll of analysts.

But experts say it is ambitious given the scale of China's economic challenges, and they hope officials will announce more economic support this week.

The country will cut interest rates further this year "as appropriate, in light of domestic and international economic and financial conditions," central bank governor Pan Gongsheng said Thursday.

Beijing's central bank cut two key interest rates to historic lows in October.

Finance Minister Lan Fu'an pledged on Thursday to "continue to increase" fiscal spending in 2025, saying it would promote "sustainable and healthy development of the economy and society" in China.

China has been seeking to regain its position since the Corona pandemic, with domestic consumption continuing to decline and the ongoing debt crisis in the huge real estate sector.

Trump's latest round of tariffs has exacerbated the challenges.

Beijing announced on Tuesday that it would take measures in response to the recent increase in customs duties imposed by Washington, and pledged that it would fight a trade war until the "end."

Through these measures, China will impose tariffs of up to 15% on a range of American agricultural products, including soybeans, pork and wheat, starting early next week.

A citizen was killed and others were injured, Thursday evening, when the Israeli occupation forces bombed a gathering of citizens east of the Shuja'iyya neighborhood, east of the Gaza Strip.

Today, Thursday, Israeli occupation bulldozers demolished several houses and burned others in Jenin camp.

Local sources reported that the occupation bulldozers demolished more than four houses since the morning hours in the Al-Faluja and Al-Samran neighborhoods, in the middle of the camp, and paved new roads inside it.

Video clips also showed columns of smoke rising from houses in the camp, as the siege and aggression continued for the 45th consecutive day.

The number of dead in the Gaza Strip has risen to 48,446, and the number of injuries to 111,852, since the beginning of the Israeli occupation aggression on the Gaza Strip on October 7, 2023.

The Ministry of Health in Gaza said that six dead and seven injuries arrived at hospitals in the Gaza Strip during the past 24 hours.

A number of victims and dead are still under the rubble of destroyed buildings and on the streets, amid attempts to rescue them, but ambulance and civil defense crews cannot reach them.

The occupation forces launched an aggression on the Gaza Strip, which resulted in the martyrdom and injury of tens of thousands of citizens, including about 17,581 children and about 12,048 women, while about 11,000 are still missing under the rubble and on the roads, which led to a 6% decrease in the population of the Gaza Strip by the end of 2024.

About 96% of the Gaza Strip’s population (2.2 million people) face high levels of acute food insecurity until September 2024, and more than 495,000 people (22% of the population) face catastrophic levels of acute food insecurity (Phase 5), some of whom are at risk of death due to malnutrition and food shortages.

Today, Thursday, the Israeli occupation forces continue to close the Kerem Shalom commercial crossing located southeast of the Gaza Strip for the fifth consecutive day.

The Israeli government, headed by Benjamin Netanyahu, decided last Saturday evening to close the border crossings and stop the flow of aid and goods to the Strip, claiming that Hamas refused to extend the first phase of the agreement and respond to the proposal of the US envoy to the region, Steve Witkoff.

As a result of the Israeli decision, the prices of basic goods and materials in the Strip immediately jumped, amid government and international warnings of the return of starvation among the population if the decision to close the crossing remains in effect.

Following the decision to close the border crossings and stop the flow of goods, former and current Israeli officials launched incitement campaigns against the Strip and its residents, most notably the statement of the Deputy Speaker of the Knesset and former Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir, who called for bombing warehouses containing goods and cutting off electricity and water supplies.

For the 45th consecutive day, the Israeli occupation forces continue their aggression on the city of Jenin and its camp, amid military reinforcements accompanied by a stifling siege, raids on homes, and forcing citizens to evacuate them.

The occupation continues to send its military reinforcements to the vicinity of Jenin camp, and its military vehicles continue to be stationed in front of Jenin Governmental Hospital, and tanks are positioned in areas near the camp. Columns of smoke were seen rising from one of the houses inside the camp.

The occupation prevents local and international press crews from entering the camp to monitor the destruction and devastation inside it and cover the occupation’s practices against the citizens.

So far, the occupation has displaced nearly 20,000 residents of Jenin camp, who are distributed across nearly 39 towns and local authorities. The occupation is working to change the features of the camp through systematic destruction that has affected 120 homes completely and dozens of homes partially.

The occupation forces carried out 336 raids, searches and field investigations, and drones launched nearly 15 bombing operations. The occupation forces closed all entrances to Jenin camp with earth mounds.

So far, the unprecedented aggression on the city of Jenin and its camp has left 30 martyrs in the Jenin governorate, in addition to dozens of injuries, and the displacement of thousands of citizens from their homes in the camp and a number of neighborhoods in the city.

The Gaza Strip is witnessing a dangerous political and field escalation, as Israeli war remnants continue to threaten the lives of Palestinians, amid appeals to bring in equipment to protect explosive ordnance disposal teams, in light of the ongoing siege and destruction caused by the Israeli aggression.

The Ministry of Interior in Gaza warned, on Thursday, of a humanitarian disaster due to unexploded ordnance, noting that there were injuries among civilians and explosives engineering personnel during the dismantling operations.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump has sparked controversy by directly threatening Gazans with death if Israeli prisoners are not released immediately, affirming his unlimited support for Israel in continuing the war. This came after the revelation of secret US contacts with Hamas, in an unprecedented development.

For its part, Hamas warned that the US president's statements are obstructing the implementation of the truce agreement, accusing Washington of encouraging Israel to evade its obligations, at a time when negotiations on the second phase of the agreement are faltering. Hamas called on the US administration to exert real pressure on the occupation instead of issuing threats that encourage the occupation to persist in its crimes.

This comes as the occupation authorities continue to prevent the entry of aid into the Gaza Strip and completely close the crossings, while negotiations are witnessing a state of stagnation in light of Israel’s denial of the requirements of the second phase of the ceasefire agreement, while Trump’s envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, asked Israel to postpone its resumption of the war on Gaza, in an attempt to achieve a breakthrough in the talks.

The United Nations announced, in a statement today, Thursday, that it has allocated $110 million from its emergency fund to compensate for the "hasty cuts" in the amounts allocated for humanitarian aid around the world, especially by the United States.

The statement explained that these funds will "strengthen vital assistance in 10 of the least funded and most neglected global crises, in Africa, Asia and Latin America."

A third of the total will go to Sudan, which is currently suffering the world's worst humanitarian crisis, as well as to neighbouring Chad, which is hosting countless refugees fleeing fighting in neighbouring Sudan.

“For countries already strained by conflict, climate change and economic turmoil, severe budget cuts do not mean humanitarian needs disappear,” said Tom Fletcher, UN Humanitarian Coordinator.

The statement said that the funds allocated on Thursday "will also enhance the humanitarian response in Afghanistan, the Central African Republic, Honduras, Mauritania, Niger, Somalia, Venezuela and Zambia," without providing further details.

The funds are also supposed to be used to protect populations most vulnerable to climate shocks.

In 2025, there will be more than 300 million people dependent on humanitarian aid, “but funding is declining every year,” and “is expected to reach a historic low this year.”

In general, the budgets of major UN humanitarian agencies and NGOs have been significantly reduced.

But the decision by the United States, which had been the largest provider of humanitarian aid, to freeze foreign aid almost completely and then cancel much of it, has caused an unprecedented crisis for relief organizations in many sectors and countries.

The United Nations stated in its statement that it estimated humanitarian needs at $45 billion to help 185 million people who are considered the most vulnerable in the face of crises across the world.

"So far, only 5% of this funding has been collected, leaving a shortfall of more than $42 billion," the statement said, as the first quarter of the year ends soon.

This morning, Thursday, the General Authority of Civil Affairs informed the Authority of Prisoners and Freed Prisoners Affairs and the Prisoners Club of the death of a prisoner from the Gaza Strip in the occupation prisons.

According to the Authority, prisoner Ali Ashour Ali al-Batsh (62 years old), a resident of Jabalia, north of the Gaza Strip, died inside the Negev Desert Prison.

The occupation forces continue their aggression on the city of Tulkarm for the 39th consecutive day, and for the 26th day on the Nour Shams camp, amid military reinforcements, the demolition of homes, and the destruction of infrastructure.

This morning, Thursday, the occupation began demolishing a number of homes and residential buildings in the Al-Manshiya neighborhood in Nour Shams camp, after being notified yesterday to demolish 17 homes, under the pretext of paving a new road that aims to change the geographical features of the camp. The targeted homes are owned by the families: Hamad, Alian, Aamer, Shihab, Shalabi, Younis, Ghanem, Masharqa, Alajma, Abu Shala, and Sa’ayda.

The occupation forces had given the owners of these homes two hours to enter the camp and evacuate their belongings and supplies from their homes, while obstructing them and firing live ammunition at them to terrorize them.

Nour Shams camp has been witnessing a continuous escalation since the beginning of the occupation's aggression, which continues to carry out repeated demolitions and raids on homes after blowing up their doors, forcing citizens to forcibly leave them, and turning them into military barracks, in addition to the widespread and complete destruction of the infrastructure and property, including homes and shops that were demolished, blown up, and burned.

In the past few days, the occupation bulldozers have demolished more than 11 houses, as part of a plan to pave a road extending from the camp square to the Manshiyya neighborhood.

In Tulkarm camp, the occupation continues its tight siege on it, preventing entry or exit from it, and deploying its foot patrols in its surroundings and alleys, while raiding empty homes of their residents, vandalizing them and destroying their contents, while at night it forced citizens to leave their homes in the airport neighborhood after raiding it.

Eyewitnesses reported that the occupation bulldozers continue to level streets and properties, and close the entrances and alleys of the neighborhoods with earthen barriers, and this has affected the main northern entrance to the camp, which is witnessing unprecedented destruction in all aspects of life there.

In this context, the occupation forces sent military reinforcements accompanied by a fuel tanker to the city and its two camps, and positioned themselves in front of the residential buildings they seized on Nablus Street linking the Tulkarm and Nour Shams camps, and obstructed the movement of vehicles and citizens.

The occupation forces also continue to seize a number of homes in the suburbs of Dhnaba and Ezbet al-Jarad, east of Tulkarm, after raiding them, forcing their residents to leave, and turning them into military barracks and sniper locations.

The occupation forces had brought in a number of armored vehicles from their military checkpoints set up at the southern and eastern entrances to Tulkarm, and stormed the town of Anabta and the southern entrance to the city, and patrolled the streets, before returning to the checkpoints.

The ongoing aggression on the city and its two camps has so far resulted in the martyrdom of 13 citizens, including a child and two women, one of whom is eight months pregnant, in addition to the injury and arrest of dozens, and the forced displacement of more than 9,000 displaced persons from Nour Shams camp, and 12,000 displaced persons from Tulkarm camp.

Today, Thursday, Israeli occupation bulldozers began demolition operations in Nablus and the northern Jordan Valley.

In Nablus, the occupation forces stormed Khirbet al-Tawil accompanied by three bulldozers, and began demolishing residential and agricultural facilities in the area.

In the northern Jordan Valley, the occupation forces stormed the Al-Burj area in the northern Jordan Valley and began demolishing facilities belonging to citizen Radi Khalil Zawahra.

Months ago, the occupation demolished residential tents and livestock pens belonging to the same citizen, under the pretext of lacking a permit.

During last February, the occupation authorities carried out 79 demolitions that affected 156 facilities, including 109 inhabited homes, 5 uninhabited ones, and 34 agricultural and other facilities. The demolition was concentrated in the Hebron governorate, with 55 facilities demolished, followed by the Jenin governorate, with 26 facilities demolished, Jerusalem with 19 facilities, and Salfit with 15 facilities.

Today, Thursday, settlers, led by extremist Yehuda Glick, stormed the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, under heavy guard from the Israeli occupation police.

The Jerusalem Governorate reported in a statement that dozens of settlers led by extremist Glick stormed Al-Aqsa in separate groups, carried out provocative tours in its courtyards, and performed Talmudic rituals.

It is truly the Palestine Summit, as His Majesty King Abdullah called it, described it and named it: the Palestine Summit.

The Palestine Summit, in response to the request of the occupied State of Palestine, and in confirmation of the manifestations of Arab solidarity and interaction, especially by the State of Bahrain as the President of the thirty-third regular session of the successive Arab Summit, and at the initiative of Egypt, which called for it and hosted its meeting.

The Palestine Summit would not have been held in an emergency session, between the last session held in Manama on May 16, 2024, and before the convening of the next regular session. It would not have been held had it not been for the developments witnessed by Palestine, which imposed its presence and the world’s interest in it, due to the results it achieved on the Palestinian-Israeli confrontation front in favor of Palestine, and for contributing to exposing the colony and revealing its truth as a racist, expansionist, occupying, and substitutionary colonial project:

First: A militant initiative on October 7, 2023, which created an impact and shock among various Israeli decision-making institutions, following which an assessment report was issued by the colony’s army, and another report by the Shin Bet intelligence service, indicating the extent of the unprecedented surprise and shock to the colony since the October 1973 war, and Netanyahu’s deliberate evasion in forming a similar official civilian investigation committee.

Second: Despite the Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip and its complete occupation, after concentrated bombing operations on all the various official institutions and facilities that caused the Strip to lose its infrastructure services, destroyed civilian homes and residential neighborhoods, and made the Gaza Strip unfit for habitation and normal life, the Palestinian people astonished the world and all observers with their steadfastness, their refusal to leave, and their return to the destroyed neighborhoods and their refusal to leave, emigrate, and be displaced from their homeland, which has no other homeland.

Third: The inability of the colony forces and their failure to discover the locations of the Israeli prisoners and their inability to release them without an exchange operation.

Fourth: The steadfastness of the Palestinian resistance, its high-level, organized performance, and its ability to negotiate from an equal position, adhering to national and security constants, and facilitating all measures that help to stop the fire and reach a ceasefire deal in its three stages.

Fifth: The Arab sense of solidarity with the Palestinian people, responding to the requirements of their basic needs, and imposing their respect and status before the Arab peoples and their various systems.

Sixth: Arab cooperation and coordination between Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar and the Emirates.

Seventh: The results of the Riyadh Five-Party Summit on 21-2-2025 formed the introduction and groundwork for holding the emergency summit in Cairo on 4 March 2025.

By examining the speeches of Arab leaders, and the results of the detailed statement they produced, the observer arrives at the conclusion that there is a tangible, positive transformation in the Arab system, responding to the requirements of Palestinian needs, and the necessity of Arab solidarity, cohesion and coordination, after a series of destructive inter-Arab wars that have ravaged the stability of many Arab countries: Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Sudan, while taking into account the positive transformations in Europe, against the backdrop of aggressive Israeli extremism, and the violation of all international decisions and values, which led to the emergence of the international coalition to implement the two-state solution headed by Saudi Arabia with the European Union and Norway, and the project to hold an international conference to settle the Palestinian issue, and implement the two-state solution headed by Saudi Arabia and France, scheduled to be held at the United Nations headquarters in New York during the month of June 2025.

The Cairo Summit is truly the summit of Palestine and for Palestine.

This morning, Thursday, the Israeli occupation forces launched an arrest campaign in the West Bank.

In Nablus, occupation jeeps stormed several neighborhoods of the city, raided a house in the Al-Nour neighborhood on Tal Street, searched it, wreaked havoc on it, and arrested citizen Nasser Qarqash.

Several Israeli military vehicles also stormed the village of Salem, east of Nablus, raided a number of homes north of the village, searched them and ransacked their contents. No arrests were reported.

In Qalqilya, the occupation forces stormed several neighborhoods in the city of Qalqilya, and arrested the two freed prisoners, Musa Suwai and Muhammad Salmi, and the citizen Fakhri Salmi and his son "Yazan" from the Kafr Saba neighborhood in the center of the city.

The occupation forces also stormed the town of Azzun, east of Qalqilya, from its northern entrance, and arrested: Rashid Radwan, Osama Kayed, Imran Al-Hussein, Karim Al-Hussein, Abdullah Al-Hussein, and Muhammad Hanoun, while the raids were concentrated in the neighborhoods of: Al-Maqbara, Al-Ras, and Al-Safaha in the eastern area of the town.

In Bethlehem, the occupation forces stormed Beit Fajjar, raided a number of homes, detained about 30 citizens, subjected them to harsh interrogation, and arrested: Jaber Mustafa Taqatqa (51 years old) and his son Muhammad, Yousef Hatem Diriya (23 years old), Muhammad Nasser Diriya (22 years old), Yousef Samih Al-Kar, Ahmad Anwar Thawabtah, Asid Ahmad Al-Kar, Muhammad Ahmad Al-Kar, and Daoud Muhammad Thawabtah.

In Hebron, the occupation forces stormed several neighborhoods in the city of Hebron, and arrested: Muhammad Abu Hasna, Munjed Al-Husseini, and Adi Sub Laban, after raiding and searching their homes.

In this context, the occupation forces continue to close the entrances to the towns and camps of the city of Hebron with iron gates, and have tightened their military measures in the neighborhoods of the Old City and the vicinity of the Ibrahimi Mosque.

In Tulkarm, the occupation forces arrested: Ahmed Wael Ammar, Baraa Ashraf Harsha, and Muhammad Majdi Harsha from the town of Qaffin, and Muhammad Ayman Khandaqji from the town of Allar, after raiding and searching their homes.

In Ramallah, the occupation army raided homes during its storming of the city of Al-Bireh, the villages of Beit Sira and Ein Qiniya west of Ramallah, and Umm Safa northwest, while an occupation army force raided the towns of Deir Jarir and Beitin east of the city.

In the same context, the occupation forces set up a military checkpoint at the entrance to the village of Ein Siniya, north of Ramallah, causing a severe traffic jam for vehicles leaving the city.

The Israeli newspaper "Israel Hayom" reported today, Thursday, that the Israeli government has completed its preparations to facilitate the displacement of the residents of the Gaza Strip "if countries are available to receive them," in a new escalation step within the war of extermination and ethnic cleansing that Israel is waging against the Gaza Strip.

According to the Israeli plan, the evacuation will take place via the Ashdod port and Ramon Airport, where 2,500 Palestinians will be able to leave Gaza daily. According to Israeli security sources, a special mechanism has been established under the direction of Israeli Defense Minister Yisrael Katz.

Israel aims to activate the displacement process "on a daily basis," and the newspaper quoted security sources as saying that "one of the countries (which it did not name) expressed interest in receiving construction workers from Gaza, but international pressures prompted it to suspend this process for the time being," in reference to the international rejection of the displacement of Gazans.

According to the Israeli plan, the evacuation will take place by sea from the port of Ashdod, while Ramon Airport will be used as an additional air route. Israeli sources indicate that this air route has been used for several months to evacuate wounded Palestinians from Gaza.

The newspaper reported that the Rafah crossing will represent an "additional exit route," based on the Israeli plan.

According to an Israeli security source, "Israel seeks to enable as many Gaza residents as possible to leave the Strip," noting that Israeli policy includes allowing family members of the sick and wounded to accompany them to other countries without return.

The same source added that "the Israeli interest lies in allowing the largest possible number of residents to leave," noting that this approach is in line with what he described as "the vision included in the plan of US President Donald Trump, which Israel has expressed its support for and seeks to implement."

In a related context, an Israeli organization known as “Reservists – Victory Generation” published a proposed plan for the “voluntary migration” of the residents of the Gaza Strip, based, according to its claims, on “the principles of international law.” It calls for the displacement of 1.7 million Palestinians from Gaza.

1. This comes amid growing concern over ongoing Israeli violations in Gaza, following the halting of humanitarian aid to the Strip, and the forced displacement plans that threaten to empty the Strip of its population as part of ongoing ethnic cleansing policies.

People search among piles of rubble, under mounds of dirt and sand dunes, for their sons who perished in the massacre, and they do not yet know where they are buried, in order to extinguish the fire that still burns in their hearts, and makes sleep elude their eyes.

Every day, with the availability of some bulldozers, it is announced that new numbers of martyrs have been recovered, and they are reburied in a manner befitting them, while their families suffer the pain of their loss and taste the bitterness of their absence from the Iftar tables during Ramadan.

On her shoulder is her son's coffin, and she is quickening her steps to bury him. Her feelings are mixed between happiness at finding her beloved son three months after his martyrdom, and regret at not fulfilling her wish to bury him next to his brother, who preceded him to the ground a few days ago.

Burying siblings next to each other has become the ultimate wish of mothers grieving the loss of their beloved husbands, sons and daughters.

Just.. this is happening in Gaza!

Dr. Ahmed Rafiq Awad: The decisions come within the framework of preparing for a new political phase that requires radical changes to keep pace with regional and international transformations

Muhammad Joda: The President’s decisions place us before transformations in the political scene that may redraw the map of Fatah’s leadership and the organization

Dr. Raed Al-Dabai: Unifying Fatah is a necessity to enhance its role and restore its cohesion in light of the challenges it has faced over the past two decades

Khalil Shaheen: Real reform must include restructuring the organization and the authority and holding elections for the Palestinians to choose their leaders

Dr. Qusay Hamed: The real test of the president’s decisions lies in their implementation through actual movement towards structural reforms and internal reconciliation

The new decisions announced by President Mahmoud Abbas during the Arab Summit in Cairo, to create the position of Deputy Chairman of the PLO and President of the State of Palestine, in addition to a general amnesty for those dismissed from the Fatah movement, come in light of the Israeli war in the Palestinian territories, and in light of rapid regional changes, which raises questions about whether the decisions will shape the features of the next stage or not?

In separate interviews with “I”, writers, political analysts and university professors believe that these steps come at a time when the Palestinian Authority is facing major challenges, both internally and externally. These decisions also have political dimensions that go beyond the internal Palestinian affair, as they came after international and Arab pressures demanding reforms in the institutions of the Palestinian Authority and the PLO.

They believe that these changes lack national consensus and may cause internal disputes, especially in light of the absence of clear mechanisms for their implementation.

They point out that with the appointment of a vice president and the reinstatement of some of those dismissed from the Fatah movement, questions are raised about the extent to which these decisions will affect the Palestinian political scene, and whether they will contribute to achieving internal reconciliation, or will they increase the intensity of the conflicts within the Fatah movement and the PLO, stressing that the answer to these questions will become clear with the developments of the next stage and the extent of the Palestinian leadership’s ability to implement actual reforms that keep pace with regional and international changes.

In response to Palestinian, Arab and international demands

Writer and political analyst Dr. Ahmed Rafiq Awad confirms that President Mahmoud Abbas’s decisions regarding the appointment of a deputy chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization and president of the State of Palestine and the reinstatement of those dismissed from the Fatah movement come in response to Palestinian, Arab and international demands aimed at reforming and developing the Palestinian political structure.

Awad explains that these steps come after 30 years of the Palestinian Authority’s experience, which witnessed profound political transformations, multiple efforts, and external influences, which led to the emergence of political and organizational phenomena that require a comprehensive review.

Awad points out that the lack of political life, the Palestinian division, and foreign interventions, in addition to the transition from the stage of revolution to the management of a civil society, are all factors that imposed major challenges on the structure of the authority and the PLO, which made reform an urgent demand in all Palestinian meetings, whether within the National Council, the Central Council, or the Revolutionary Council of the Fatah movement.

Awad asserts that President Abbas’s announcement of these reforms during the extraordinary Arab summit reflects the leadership’s awareness of the magnitude of regional and international challenges, and the necessity of renewing blood within the Authority’s institutions, including changing faces, developing political and administrative performance, and creating a major shift in the structure of Palestinian governance, in order to enhance response to the requirements of the current reality.

Awad points out that the Authority finds itself today facing extremely dangerous transformations, in light of the escalation of political, security and economic challenges, which requires it to confront these changes with bold decisions that achieve Palestinian, Arab and international demands.

Awad explains that there are clear demands from the international community and the Arab world for the necessity of reforming the Palestinian Authority and the PLO, ensuring that governance is managed in a transparent and fair manner, and restructuring its institutions to ensure good governance, in addition to meeting new political and security requirements.

Awad points out that President Abbas decided to appoint a deputy for him, and to reinstate those dismissed from the Fatah movement, in addition to administrative, financial and judicial reforms, as part of preparations for a new political phase that requires radical changes to keep pace with regional and international transformations.

Awad points out that the timing of this decision is extremely important, as these steps come at a critical moment when the Palestinian Authority finds itself at a crossroads: either to continue and survive by adapting to the changes, or to face the risk of marginalization and encroachment.

Awad explains that there are Israeli voices calling for bypassing the Palestinian Authority and removing it from the political scene, which makes the need to enhance its credibility and reliability more urgent than ever to confront any dangers.

Regarding the return of those dismissed from the Fatah movement, Awad explains that this step may benefit the movement, considering that these dismissed individuals are part of the Fatah fabric, and have organizational capabilities and political relationships that can enhance Fatah’s position in the Palestinian scene.

Awad believes that President Abbas's decisions reflect a serious attempt to restructure the Palestinian political system and keep pace with the rapid changes, in a way that ensures the continuity of the authority and strengthens its position in the regional and international scenes.

The decisions came within a complex political and economic context.

Writer and political analyst Muhammad Joda asserts that President Mahmoud Abbas’ announcement of the creation of the position of Vice President of the PLO and President of the State of Palestine, in addition to issuing an amnesty for those dismissed from the Fatah movement, represents an important step despite its delay, pointing out that these decisions came within a complex political and economic context.

Joudeh explains that creating the position of Deputy Chairman of the PLO must be part of a comprehensive reform of the organization, through holding elections for the National and Central Councils, and selecting members of the Executive Committee on the basis of proportional representation of all Palestinian factions, including the inclusion of Hamas and Islamic Jihad.

Joda believes that the importance of this step lies in the fact that it may pave the way for the return of leader Mohammed Dahlan to the official Palestinian political scene, to play an important role, a development that may have major repercussions in the coming stage.

Joudeh points out that the decision to create the position of Deputy Chairman of the PLO and President of the State of Palestine came after pressures and consultations conducted by the leadership of the Authority with the World Bank, which demanded the implementation of financial and administrative reforms to confront the economic crisis that the Palestinian Authority is suffering from, in order to continue the flow of international aid, especially in light of the growing warnings of a possible financial collapse for the Authority.

Joda believes that the importance of President Abbas' decision comes in light of the sensitive circumstances that the Palestinian cause is going through, especially the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip, and the threat of displacing its residents, in addition to the ongoing aggression on the West Bank, in light of the fact that the Palestinian Authority is facing increasing political isolation, especially after the escalation of Arab and international criticism of its performance, describing it as weak and flabby.

He points out that the Palestinian Authority has lost its security and military capabilities in the West Bank, without having real tools to protect Palestinians from attacks by settlers and the Israeli army.

Joda points out that President Abbas is well aware that the popular base of the Fatah movement in the Gaza Strip largely follows the leader Mohammed Dahlan, and therefore any role for the authority in Gaza after the end of the war cannot be achieved without understandings and real reconciliation with Dahlan and his faction.

Joudah did not rule out the existence of Arab pressure from Egypt, the Emirates and Saudi Arabia on President Abbas and the leadership of the Fatah movement, to push them towards reconciliation with the Dahlan faction, with the aim of reuniting the movement to confront the Hamas movement, whose power was strengthened by the recent Israeli war, in addition to supporting the Palestinian Authority to manage the Gaza Strip in the future.

Jodeh believes that this decision was not taken in accordance with the organizational protocol followed within the Fatah movement, as it was not put up for discussion within the movement’s central committee, which indicates that the decision to dismiss a number of Fatah leaders in the past was not an organizational decision unanimously adopted by the movement.

Joda points out that this step may lead to sharp criticism within the ranks and leadership of Fatah, especially since the decision was not presented to the movement's frameworks to be taken by consensus.

Joda stressed that the return of the dismissed requires a radical reform within the movement, and the reorganization of the elections for its ninth conference, to choose a new leadership, especially after the exclusion of leaders from Dahlan’s faction.

He wondered whether the dismissed individuals would accept to return in this manner, without respecting the movement’s internal regulations and without reviewing the measures taken against them over more than 14 years. He also wondered about the real charges against them, which were the basis for the decisions to dismiss them from the movement.

Joda believes that these decisions, despite their importance, open the door to major transformations in the Palestinian political scene, amid internal complications and external pressures that may redraw the map of the leadership of the Palestinian Authority and the Fatah movement during the next stage.

Unsurprising decisions...and various complications

The Head of the Political Science Department at An-Najah National University, Dr. Raed Al-Dabai, explains that the Fatah movement, since assuming leadership of the PLO in 1969, has constituted a strategic turning point in the Palestinian political and social scene, as its influence extended beyond its internal framework, to become a symbol of the contemporary national struggle and a fundamental component in formulating foreign policies and regional and international relations for the Palestinian cause.

Al-Dabai points out that the Fatah movement played a pivotal role in determining the future of the Palestinian people and the stability of the entire region, through its struggle in several arenas, as a result of the necessities of the stage and the requirements of the struggle, whether during the stage of presence in the arenas of Jordan, Lebanon, Tunisia and Syria, or through the presence of military bases for the Palestinian revolutionary forces in several countries such as Iraq, Yemen, Egypt and Libya.

Al-Dabai stresses that President Mahmoud Abbas's decision to unify the Fatah house comes as a national and regional necessity to strengthen the movement's steadfastness and restore the cohesion of its ranks in light of a noticeable decline over the past two decades.

Al-Dabai points out that recent years have witnessed cases of internal division and chaos, manifested in the inability to form a unified electoral list during the postponed legislative elections in 2021 and the local elections in 2022, which led to the decision to dismiss a number of leaders and cadres - some of whom are members of the movement's Revolutionary and Advisory Councils, and some of whom spent long years in the occupation's prisons - which increased the state of chaos instead of strengthening internal ties.

Al-Dabai believes that the decision to unify the movement is not a surprise to its cadres, as the Revolutionary Council had approved the formation of committees to recommend the return of those against whom previous decisions had been taken, although the mechanisms and procedures for this return still carry a lot of ambiguity.

According to Al-Dabai, questions are being raised about the conditions for return that were previously raised, which created a state of internal controversy and exacerbated matters instead of resolving them, especially those related to the absence of criminal cases against those dismissed, or the necessity for those against whom a decision was made to submit individual written petitions to the movement’s leadership about their desire to return and their commitment to its leadership’s decisions in the future, and whether those conditions will further complicate the actual implementation of the decision.

Al-Dabai points out that the administrative and political complexities increase with the issue of appointing a deputy to the PLO and the PNA, which raises questions about the nature of this appointment: Will it be for one person or two? What are the legal procedures and internal mechanisms (whether through consensus or voting within the Central Committee or the Revolutionary Council) or through amending the PLO’s internal regulations, and the legal procedures that this entails, that will determine the fate of this appointment?

Al-Dabai explains that the actual choice will be within the Fatah movement, while the Executive Committee of the PLO will adopt what the movement agrees upon. However, this agreement may face various complications related to the multiplicity of aspirants, internal balance equations, and internal tensions within the Fatah movement, especially in light of internal, regional, and international pressures.

Al-Dabai stresses that the role of regional and international will cannot be ignored, as the president’s announcement of these decisions during the Arab Summit is a clear indication that these decisions come as part of the interaction with Arab and Western demands to reform the Palestinian political system and democratize its institutions.

Decisions lack national consensus and required reform

Writer and political analyst Khalil Shaheen asserts that the creation of the position of Vice President of the PLO and Vice President of the State of Palestine could have had significant significance if it had come from a pure Palestinian will and national consensus on a series of reforms, and a review of the structure of the PLO and the Palestinian Authority, and the mechanism of political, economic and social decision-making in general. However, this step, which came in response to external pressures, appears fragmented and does not meet the organization’s need for fundamental reform that goes beyond merely appointing a Vice President.

Shaheen explains that the Palestine Liberation Organization suffers from a major defect in its representation of the Palestinian people, as its structures and departments have eroded over time, and its representative status has declined.

It indicates a lack of representation of effective and essential forces in the Palestinian political map, such as Hamas and Islamic Jihad, in addition to the absence of other components of civil society, independents and youth.

Shaheen stresses that the required reform goes beyond a small issue such as appointing a vice president, especially since this position is largely formal.

Shaheen explains that the appointment of a deputy chairman of the PLO can be done through different procedures than the appointment of a deputy chairman of the Authority. In the second case, amendments must be made to the Palestinian Basic Law, especially with regard to the powers of both the president and his deputy.

Shaheen points out that President Mahmoud Abbas had previously taken a decision to assign the head of the Palestinian National Council, Rawhi Fattouh, to fill the vacuum created by the president’s absence from the political scene, for a transitional period of ninety days, until elections are held.

Shaheen points out that appointing a vice president nullifies this decision, as the vice president will assume the duties of the president in his absence.

Shaheen believes that one possible scenario is that the president will amend the decision regarding the National Council Speaker, to expand his powers and make him vice president during his lifetime, and assume the duties of the president during the transitional period in the event of his absence from the political scene, whether due to death, disability, or otherwise.

Shaheen points out that Rawhi Fattouh has the advantage of being from the Gaza Strip, which makes him a suitable candidate for the position of vice president.

Shaheen stresses that the appointment of a vice president, although an important step, is not of great importance in bringing about radical reforms, as long as there is no electoral process that enables the Palestinians to exercise their right to choose their leaders, whether the president, the vice president, or the members of the absent legislative council.

Shaheen points out that the essence of the issue remains related to the decision-making mechanism, which is concentrated in the hands of the president, even if there is a vice president, especially in light of the absence of the legislative council and the lack of accountability or oversight of presidential decisions.

Shaheen stresses that the steps to create positions at the level of vice president require national consensus, and not just consensus within the Fatah movement, especially if it concerns the Palestine Liberation Organization.

Shaheen points out that there is talk about the possibility of calling the Central Council to meet during this month, where the president may seek through this meeting to legitimize the step of creating the position of vice president.

Regarding the issue of pardoning those dismissed from the Fatah movement, Shaheen points out that there is surprise at the use of the word “pardon,” which suggests that those dismissed committed crimes that require pardon.

Shaheen explains that President Abbas announced this issue at the Arab Summit, without clarifying what amnesty for the dismissed employees means, especially since they are members of a political party and not government employees.

Shaheen asserts that the measures taken against some of the dismissed individuals, such as Mohammed Dahlan and Nasser al-Qudwa, were decisions taken by Fatah’s leadership bodies, such as the Revolutionary Council and the Central Committee, and that excluding these bodies from reviewing or reversing these decisions gives a negative indication of the continuation of the state of monopoly in decision-making and marginalization of institutions.

Shaheen points out that the return of the dismissed to the Fatah movement raises questions about how to deal with this matter, especially with regard to the return of some leaders, such as Mohammed Dahlan and Nasser al-Qudwa, to their previous positions.

Shaheen explains that Dahlan may not think about returning to the movement, while Nasser al-Qudwa may refuse to return in the form of a pardon, especially since there are no criminal cases against him.

Shaheen points out that some cadres of the Reform Movement, affiliated with Dahlan, may try to benefit from the decision and return to the movement, especially if they return to their previous movement or government positions.

Shaheen confirms that the Fatah movement is heading towards important changes in the coming period, not only because of the possibility of the return of those dismissed, but also because of the release of dozens of movement cadres from Israeli occupation prisons, including well-known leaders such as Marwan Barghouti.

Shaheen points out that the Fatah movement's move to hold internal elections may bring about changes in the movement's leadership structure, especially with the presence of large numbers of liberated leaders and cadres, even if they are outside the country.

Shaheen points out that President Abbas's recent decisions, although aimed at meeting external pressures, lack national consensus and the required fundamental reform.

Shaheen stresses that real reform must include restructuring the PLO and the Palestinian Authority, and holding legislative and presidential elections, to enable Palestinians to choose their leaders democratically.

An important and necessary step...but it is late

Professor of Political Science at Al-Quds Open University, Dr. Qusay Hamed, confirms that President Mahmoud Abbas’s decision to create the position of Vice President of the PLO and President of the State of Palestine, in addition to pardoning those dismissed from the Fatah movement, is an important but overdue step, noting that the need for these decisions has existed for years, but their timing now carries political dimensions that go beyond the internal dimension.

Hamed explains that the real test of President Mahmoud Abbas's decisions lies in the "day after" and their practical implementation on the ground, and whether the Fatah leadership will actually move towards structural reforms, uniting the movement, and ending the state of fragmentation it suffers from.

Hamed considers the appointment of a deputy president of the organization and president of the State of Palestine to be an important development, despite the need for legal amendments regarding the creation of the position in the organization’s structure and clarifying the mechanism for selecting or electing him. However, it is a necessary step towards resolving the controversy over the future of the organization’s leadership in the event that the position of president becomes vacant, which was a matter that was strongly raised in light of the absence of a clear mechanism for the transfer of power within the organization.

Hamed believes that this step comes in response to international and Arab pressures being exerted on the leadership to carry out internal reforms that would enable it to restore its role and strengthen its position before the international community.

Hamed points out that there is great Arab pressure on the Palestinian leadership, especially from Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the Emirates, with the aim of pushing the Palestinian Authority towards implementing reforms, as well as within the PLO and the Fatah movement, considering that the international community and Arab countries currently view the Palestinian Authority as weak and flabby, and suffering from corruption and favoritism, which makes it unqualified to play a major role in the future of the Gaza Strip after the end of the current Israeli war.

Hamed explains that these reforms are a basic condition for restoring financial and political support from Arab countries, which have frozen their financial aid to the Palestinian Authority in recent months, stipulating the implementation of fundamental internal reforms.

Hamed confirms that this Arab pressure comes within the framework of confronting an Israeli-American plan that aims to displace Palestinians from the Gaza Strip, as the Arab countries see that reviving the role of the Palestinian Authority is necessary to confront these plans.

Regarding the pardon for those dismissed from the Fatah movement, Hamed explains that the decision opens the door to reviving the Fatah movement by injecting new blood into its ranks and reconsidering the decision-making mechanisms within it, which allows for the consolidation of a unified vision that unites its cadres on the basis of Palestinian national unity.

But Hamed warns that these decisions may remain ink on paper if they are not translated into real practical steps, pointing out that the Palestinian leadership has previously been accustomed to making similar decisions without actually implementing them.

Hamed asserts that the Palestinian situation today is threatened in an unprecedented way, perhaps since the 1948 Nakba or the 1967 setback, as the Palestinian cause is being subjected to systematic attempts to dismantle it by the Israeli occupation, which seeks to empty the authority of its content and weaken its role.

Hamed stresses that this stage requires the Palestinian leadership and the leadership of the Fatah movement to overcome their internal differences and work to unify the national ranks to confront the escalating challenges, whether in terms of Arab and international pressures or the occupation’s ongoing plans to impose new facts on the ground.