Daily Political Update, Thursday 25 April 2019

General Situation

The Palestinian leadership strategy to preempt the deal of the century: In response to a question by Horizon Center, senior PA / Fatah officials said that the Palestinian strategy is built on several components. Please see full report under Political Dynamics.

Reactions to Hamas coalition against the century / ultimate deal: several factions including Fatah issued statements dismissing the Hamas attempt to create a narrow coalition to confront the US century deal. Please see full report under Political Dynamics.

Hamas will not be invited to attend the PLO Central Council: Senior Fatah officials said that for the first time since 2006, Hamas PLC members will not be invited to attend the PLO Central Council. Please see full report under Political Dynamics.

Political dynamics / developments

The Palestinian leadership strategy to preempt the deal of the century: In response to a question by Horizon Center, senior PA / Fatah officials said that the Palestinian strategy is built on several components. The most important aspect of it is to preempt the release of the deal of the century at the political and diplomatic levels. The officials said that preempting rather than reacting after the release of the century deal is very important. The officials said that all information that was passed to the Palestinian leadership through private and security channels indicates that the US deal of the century violates international law, and eliminates the internationally acknowledged terms of reference for any serious and meaningful peace deal. The officials added that US officials mean to mislead some of the key Arab countries including KSA, Egypt, Jordan and other countries to accept the general guidelines of the century deal thus isolating the Palestinian position. The officials said therefore the Palestinian leadership means to preempt those efforts and to identify the publicly stated Palestinian position with those of the Arab countries. The officials said that this is a very important element of the Palestinian strategy to confront and preempt the century deal. The officials added that solidifying the Arab position behind the Palestinian stance coupled with efforts to lobby key EU countries, and other world palters e.g. Russia and China will guarantee that the deal of the century is still born.  The officials also said that the all the decisions and course of action taken by the US administration including recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, relocating the US embassy to Jerusalem, shutting down the PLO mission in Washington and cutting aid to Palestinians including to UNRWA are all reasons that pushed the Palestinian leadership to sever all political contacts with the US administration. This course of action has also prompted the Palestinian leadership to reject the deal before it is published since those are integral components of the so called ultimate peace deal.

Reactions to Hamas coalition against the century / ultimate deal: several factions including Fatah issued statements dismissing the Hamas attempt to create a narrow coalition to confront the US century deal. Fatah official Jibril Rajoub accused Hamas of pursuing its goal of creating alternative leadership structures to the PLO. PFLP official Mariam Abu Daqa said that the PFLP rejects all such attempts to create alternative structures to the PLO. Several other factions and Fatah officials released statements dismissing Hamas’s intents and stressing that the Palestine people are only represented by the PLO and not by individual factions.

Following tension with the PA, the Egyptian authorities released senior Fatah operative Zaki al Sakani yesterday. Senior PA security and Fatah officials worked extensively to bring about Sakani’s release who was arrested by Egyptian security services nearly two weeks ago. According to senior Fatah officials, all charges against Sakani were dropped. On the margins of President Abbas meeting with President al Sissi of Egypt, Fatah pressed for Sakani’s release. Tensions between the PA and Egypt had mounted in the past three weeks over the Egyptian efforts to strike a deal between Hamas and Israel. The PA had pushed for a key role in the negations over the understandings with Israel similar to the arrangements in 2014 (during the Israeli offensive.)  The PA viewed al Sakani’s arrest, who resides in Cairo, and had been released from Hamas jails two years earlier, as a blow to the PA-Egyptian relations. Al Sakani is a senior PA security official and a key Fatah operative.

Hamas will not be invited to attend the PLO Central Council: Senior Fatah officials said that for the first time since 2006, Hamas PLC members will not be invited to attend the PLO Central Council. The officials explained that the invites were extended to Hamas PLC members in the past regardless of whether they attended the meetings or not. The officials said that since the PLC has been officially dissolved earlier this year, Hamas members of the defunct PLC will not be invited to attend the meeting.  

Political statements

PM Shtayya meeting with US Senators: In line with the PA’s decision to keep open contacts with US Congress, Senate and US security officials, PM Shtayya received delegation of United States Senators in Ramallah headed by Senators Mitt Romney and Chris Murphy. PM Shtayya stressed the importance of having Americans who speak out in favor of the two-state solution based on international law and signed agreements, in light of the American administration’s dominated bias toward Israel.  PM Shtayya reiterated the call for the US Congress to follow the European Union (EU) and others’ example in recognizing the State of Palestine and lifting the ban on the PLO. According to an official statement, PM Shtayya explained that “the Palestinian position refusing accepting the tax revenues from Israel after the illegal deduction from it stems from national, political and legal goals. Accepting the money means acknowledging the Israeli claims that we finance terrorism by paying salaries to the families of prisoners.”

Other developments/ Security incidents

Rebuilding the home of Omar Abu Layla: Fatah officials said that works to rebuild the home of Omar Abu Layla which was blown up by the IDF yesterday are already underway in the village of al Zawya / Salfit area. Fatah officials said that the Palestinian community in al Zawya and nearby villages have raised enough funds to rebuild the house. Fatah lead the efforts to raise the funds and bought a plot of land to build a house for the family. Abu Laila was killed by IDF in March after a short pursuit for being suspected in killing two Israelis, including a soldier outside Ariel settlement. The house was destroyed by the IDF early yesterday morning.