A senior Palestinian official reportedly predicted that President-elect Donald Trump’s policies will cripple Iran, thereby undermining Hamas.
Mohammad Hamdan, Fatah’s secretary-general, allegedly made these remarks on December 19th during a meeting in Nablus with a news outlet and other PA leaders. This meeting took place amid PA security operations against Hamas-aligned extremists in Jenin.
The Post initially published the account on Monday.
“We’re confronting Hamas. Our issue stems from Hamas’ ties to foreign regimes,” Hamdan stated, specifically mentioning Iran.
“We believe Trump and the Israeli government intend to weaken Iran, leaving Hamas with no choice but to refocus on Palestinian issues,” he added.
On December 6th, over a dozen extremists allegedly stole two PA vehicles, parading them through Jenin while displaying Hamas and ISIS flags, according to the Post.
Subsequently, PA forces reportedly killed at least three extremists in Jenin and pledged to apprehend or eliminate the remaining perpetrators.
Fatah suffered a significant defeat in the 2006 election, leading to Hamas seizing control, enforcing stricter Islamic rule, and launching repeated attacks on Israel.
The October 7th, 2023, Hamas attack from Gaza, resulting in over 1,200 deaths and over 250 hostages, marked a turning point.
With Israel’s counteroffensive significantly weakening Hamas in Gaza, the U.S.-backed PA seems poised to regain control of Gaza after the conflict concludes.
“Hamas rejects international legitimacy, specifically UN resolutions,” Hamdan noted. “The world cannot tolerate a group that disregards international resolutions.”
Hamas and other extremist groups distrust the PA, accusing it of collaborating with Israel in past Jenin raids.
Israel has historically conducted crackdowns in Jenin, a known terrorist stronghold. The PA’s security presence there was minimal until the recent operations.
At least three PA security personnel, including an intelligence captain, have been killed in clashes with extremists, according to the Associated Press. The PA has made numerous arrests.
The Post reported that the interviewed PA leaders condemned Israel’s expanding West Bank settlements but affirmed their support for Israel’s existence.
Hamdan reportedly told the Post that the PA leadership – which criticized Israel and the U.S. at the UN General Assembly – “still supports pragmatic relations with the Americans to achieve Palestinian goals.” However, he also blamed failed U.S. Middle East policy for the rise of Islamic extremism.
“Consider Syria. The U.S. initially labeled rebels as al Qaeda, and then [last week] an American delegation visited Syria,” Hamdan explained to the Post. “The same pattern occurred with the American deals with the Taliban in Afghanistan. We Palestinians believe that the U.S. inadvertently fosters these extremist groups through its attempts to reshape the Middle East.”
Regarding post-war Gaza governance, an Israeli official told the Post that the PA remained a possibility but needed to address “corruption” and “funding terrorism” against West Bank settlers.
The official conceded that the PA might have “an unprecedented opportunity” to regain control of Palestinian territories.
The PA’s opposition to Hamas could offer unique leverage for “participating in post-conflict negotiations,” the Israeli official added.