Yedioth: The waning power of the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank is cause for concern
An Israeli newspaper reported that the security control of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and his government has become weak in the occupied West Bank, coinciding with the state of internal anger over the new appointments to senior positions in the Palestine Liberation Organization, which is seen as an attempt by Abbas to secure his successor whom he chose himself.
According to what was published by the Israeli newspaper, Yedioth Ahronoth, what was reported provides a description of the internal situation of the authority, but in the West Bank scene, one of the reasons for the weakness of the authority is the demolition of the house near the city of Jenin in the West Bank of the citizen Muhammad Jaradat, whom Israel accused with others The killing of a settler residing in the illegal Homesh outpost in the West Bank last December.
In the same context, dozens of Palestinian residents are at risk of being evicted from their homes in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of occupied Jerusalem; The newspaper indicates that Abbas left them to face their fate on their own, while the Israeli forces - last week - killed three Palestinians in broad daylight in the center of the city of Nablus, which is under the full control of the Palestinian Authority, without any response from its side during that.
In the context of its report, which highlights the declining role of the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank, "Yediot" pointed to the demonstrations of thousands of disaffected Palestinians in Hebron and other places in the West Bank against the security chaos, the high prices of electricity, gas and countless foodstuffs, who demanded answers and action. Practical measures to solve their successive living crises.
All this comes amid fears after the meeting of the Palestinian Central Council with the Palestine Liberation Organization, last week, which Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas used to consolidate his authority and secure his successor, according to Yedioth.
The newspaper noted the criticism leveled by the main Palestinian factions of Abbas's new appointments to senior positions in the Palestine Liberation Organization during the Central Council meeting, which it described as "illegitimate, increasing division, and perpetuating exclusivity."
“Abbas’s critics accused him of seizing power,” she said. Where Palestinian domestic politics seem more divided than ever.”
Yedioth: Abbas's critics accused him of seizing power; Where Palestinian domestic politics seem more divided than ever
The last time a presidential election for the Palestinian Authority was held was in 2005, while a vote for the Palestinian Legislative Council was held 16 years ago, and a year later, a split occurred between Gaza and the West Bank, causing a major rift between the two largest Palestinian factions, and creating two separate political entities However, Abbas dissolved the Palestinian Legislative Council in 2018.
In an attempt to calm the anger in the Palestinian street, the final statement of the Palestinian Central Council meeting announced the freezing of security coordination between the Palestinian Authority and Israel, as the Palestine Liberation Organization had issued this declaration four years ago and never implemented it, and this time it failed to mobilize much support for its policies. While many Palestinians doubt the motives behind it.
The newspaper quoted Jihad Mansour, a lawyer from Nablus, as saying: “People are used to the fiery statements of Palestinian officials.”
He continued, “They take us for granted. They really think that we are idiots, when they are in trouble, they attack Israel and threaten to stop security coordination with the occupation,” adding, “They never follow through with any of their decisions.”
In response, the newspaper said that the Palestinian Authority is facing a bigger problem, which is the growing perception among many that its control over the land is shaky.
The newspaper quotes a social activist who was arrested several times by the Palestinian Authority security forces: “They failed to maintain the people’s trust, they had plenty of time to implement their agenda, and they failed... They are only interested in securing their own positions.”
The division between Palestinian factions is not limited to Fatah and Hamas; Indeed, in the Fatah movement itself, there are many of its senior officials either marginalized from the 86-year-old president or expelled from the group, according to the newspaper.
For his part, a Ramallah-based political analyst, Faris Sarafandi, confirmed to "Yediot" that the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Palestinian Authority have been weakened by Abbas' policies; Where “the Palestinian Authority has popularly retreated as a result of wrong governance practices and the state of corruption, stagnation and deviation that has affected it,” adding that the Palestinian street “lost confidence” in the Palestinian Authority, which prompted many to search for an “alternative.”
Contrary to the ideology and ideology of the authority, after the killing of three members of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the military wing of Fatah, many members of the movement, including Abbas, praised the three elements, as she put it.
But Sarafandi commented: “I think that the escalation of the rhetoric of the Fatah movement is nothing but an attempt to cover up the weakness of the PA’s rhetoric; Because until this moment Fatah is the Palestinian Authority, and there is no real disengagement between the two entities.”
He says: The year 2022 will witness an escalation of "violence" in the Palestinian territories, as a result of the financial problems of the Palestinian Authority and the ongoing tension with settlers in the West Bank.
Hamas welcomes South African Constitutional Court ruling on anti-Semitism
Gaza: A member of the Hamas political bureau and head of the International Relations Office, Musa Abu Marzouk , welcomed the “historic decision of the South African Constitutional Court, which affirms that anti-Zionism is not anti-Semitism , and that criticism of Zionism is not considered criticism of the Jews, as it constitutes support for Legal and political support for opponents of the Zionist occupation of our occupied Palestinian lands.
On Saturday, the Palestinian Shehab news agency quoted Abu Marzouk as saying that “the occupation has spent many years and decades practicing its cheap blackmail against countries and forces that reject it, and depriving our Palestinian people of obtaining the support of countries around the world to obtain their historical and legitimate rights.”
He stressed that “the judicial decision in South Africa represents a strong impetus and great encouragement to the rest of the judicial authorities around the world, to issue legal rulings and take similar judicial steps,” noting that “it would tighten the screws on the Zionist occupation, which seeks to prevent the Palestinian people from exercising their right to decide Fate, liberation and return, as decided by international laws and United Nations reports.”
Abu Marzouk pointed out that “the Zionist occupation, which has continued to violate international law, the Geneva Conventions, and the charters of the United Nations, continues to practice intimidation against countries that reject its continued presence on the Palestinian territories, which makes the South African Court’s decision an opportunity for the occupation to pay the price for its violations and crimes, indicating that it is appropriate.” It is important for the rest of the judicial authorities around the world to follow the same legal approach, which works to expose the occupation before the world, and stop its extortionary policy of linking any criticism of it to anti-Semitism.”
The United Nations spokesman for “Al-Quds Al-Arabi”: Evacuating the houses of their residents in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood is a violation of international humanitarian law
New York (United Nations) - The official spokesman for the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Stephane Dujarric, expressed the organization's rejection of the practice of evacuating homes from their residents because this is a violation of international humanitarian law.
This came in response to a question by Al-Quds Al-Arabi about a delegation formed from the United Nations agencies in occupied Palestine, including UNRWA, visiting the home of the Salem family, who is threatened with eviction by the Israeli occupation forces.
In the daily press conference, which is being held at the United Nations Headquarters, the spokesman confirmed the visit of the UN delegation, saying: “Yes, indeed, representatives of the United Nations country team concerned with humanitarian action visited the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood. The team, which included a number of UN agencies, met with Salem's family in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood of occupied East Jerusalem.
"As you know, the family, a family of 12, is in danger of eviction during the month of March from their home... the house they've been living in, they've known, for 70 years," Dujarric added.
“We have repeatedly called for a halt to forced evictions and demolitions in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem,” the spokesperson said. Under international humanitarian law, the forcible transfer of protected persons by an occupying power is prohibited, regardless of their motive. Effective steps must be taken to calm the situation before another crisis erupts.”
Dujarric added that the HCT had called on all leaders of the political community to refrain from provocative actions and rhetoric, “The Israeli authorities must take steps to ensure the protection of civilians, including refugees.”
In response to Al-Quds Al-Arabi’s question about the absence of Tor Wencesland, the Middle East peace coordinator and the United Nations representative in occupied Palestine, “Why was Wencesland not part of the delegation that went to Sheikh Jarrah and expressed its solidarity with that family threatened with eviction?”
“As you know, Mr. Wencesland is the oldest and most representative representative of the United Nations on Earth, and part of the UNSCO (United Nations Special Coordinator's Office) mission,” Dujarric said. I think the sentiment and policies expressed by the delegation are also a reflection of Wencesland's position."
The Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood is still witnessing daily confrontations between the Palestinian residents of the neighborhood and the settlers supported by the occupation army and its security forces. Yesterday, Friday, a number of people in solidarity with the steadfastness of the neighborhood's residents were injured.
About 500 Palestinians live in about 28 houses or real estate establishments in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, and they are threatened with deportation for the benefit of the settlement associations. These houses were built in 1956, according to an agreement between the Jordanian Ministry of Construction and Development, the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) and the people, whereby the people were delegated the ownership of the housing units and registered in their names.