It is natural for a new Palestinian government to be formed, succeeding Mohammad Shtayyeh's government, which undoubtedly played an important role in the aftermath of the outbreak of the Gaza war, particularly in terms of seeking to avoid the expansion of that war. Israel wanted the conflict to encompass the West Bank. This is something it still aspires to.
The new government signifies, among other things, sidelining Palestinian National Authority President Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen). There is a need for new Palestinian blood and a change in mentality before anything else. The necessity for a different Palestinian leadership is evident, one that aligns with the new phase the Palestinian issue is undergoing and the rapidly evolving regional developments.
In short, there is a need for a new type of ministers who understand the world and how international institutions operate. There is a need for a government that comprehends the regional and international balance of power, free from outdated ideas that have led to Gaza's destruction and provided cover for it instead of being a nucleus for a viable Palestinian state able to live peacefully with its neighbors.
The new phase the Palestinian issue is undergoing can be summarized by a series of changes that have occurred on the ground since October 7, when the Hamas movement, or rather its internal leadership, decided to launch the "Al-Aqsa Flood" attack. This was a politically blind attack that temporarily placed "Hamas" on the political map of the Middle East. Ultimately, the consequences of the "Al-Aqsa Flood," which shook Israel and undermined Israelis' trust in their once-invincible army, cannot be underestimated.
In reality, much has changed in Israel, which has become a more aggressive state than ever, especially as its Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has narrowed his options to continuing the war in order to eliminate "Hamas." "Bibi" will not be able to eradicate "Hamas." Therefore, he will have to eradicate Gaza and make it a hostile land to its approximately two million three hundred thousand inhabitants living in about 365 square kilometers!
Israel has completely changed, under "Bibi's" current leadership and in his anticipated absence in the future. Israelis will hold their Prime Minister accountable in the near future. However, Palestinians, by pushing for the formation of a new government that includes highly capable individuals, have taken the initiative before anyone else. They have anticipated the deep changes that the region seems set to undergo. Such changes require individuals of a different caliber who engage with the United States with a modern mindset, as well as communicate with Europe and other Arab countries, especially the Gulf states, using numbers and transparency.
The new government indicates Palestinians' readiness to bear their responsibilities after Israel lost its political compass, where some believe that the "Al-Aqsa Flood" presents an opportunity to eliminate the Palestinian cause altogether. Such a scenario is impossible for one simple reason: the existence of the Palestinian people on their land.
Sooner or later, two things will become evident. The first is that there is no political future for "Hamas," despite its capacity to abolish the Palestinian Authority and take its place. The world is currently negotiating with "Hamas," not the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah. But the question remains: what does "Hamas" want beyond returning to ruling Gaza? The people of Gaza deserve better than what has emerged from the ruins of Fatah and the symbols of the Palestinian National Authority, which have entered a phase of confusion in the absence of Yasser Arafat.
The other matter that will come to light is the need for a significant and radical change within Israel itself. After the "Al-Aqsa Flood," little is left of Israel except the desire for revenge and the restoration of deterrent power. This will not be possible without removing Benjamin Netanyahu and symbols of the racist right, such as Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich. This will happen soon, not for any reason other than the fact that there can be no political future for Israel without a viable political project that takes into account the international, regional, and internal realities, especially since the Palestinian people are present on the political map of the region and cannot be ignored or surpassed.
It was important to rearrange the internal Palestinian house at this very stage after excluding "Abu Mazen," who has eliminated competent Palestinian figures for reasons known to all, thus blocking the way for any Palestinian elections. He did this on the grounds that he wanted to join the club of lifetime presidents... even at the expense of Palestinian political life, which he has obliterated. He has annulled political life by removing any Palestinian figure of weight or significance or with Arab or international relations from power.
From now until the end of the Gaza war, many developments are likely to occur. Among these developments is the possibility of the war expanding to Lebanon. This will be accompanied by an international effort to put an end to what the Houthis are doing in Yemen, at Iran's request, to disrupt navigation in the Red Sea and cause significant damage to Egypt. This is happening by reducing Egypt's revenues from traffic through the Suez Canal.
Whatever the nature of the developments that the region seems to be heading towards, the Palestinians have prepared, should they succeed in forming a new government that includes capable figures, for the post-Gaza war phase and the tragedies caused by the boundless Israeli brutality. It is a new phase with no place for Benjamin Netanyahu nor "Hamas," which can cling to the Israeli hostages indefinitely but without any substantial results on the ground. Likewise, there is no place for the Palestinian Authority in its current form nor for the state of stagnation that characterizes it.
