At first glance, it is difficult for any analyst to believe that the Trump plan, prepared with active participation from the Israeli side, especially senior aides to the Israeli Prime Minister who oppose a Palestinian state, could lead to the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. The plan explicitly rejects any state for the Palestinian Authority and does not grant the Palestinian leadership any role, even indirectly, in selecting the technocratic committee that will oversee Gaza after the war ends and the Israeli occupation army withdraws.

Officials in Ramallah say the reason for optimism stems from what happened in New York during the UN General Assembly, where France, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Canada recognized Palestine. The Palestinian leadership now has partners worldwide, not only in the Arab and Islamic worlds, and these recognitions have strengthened a broad alliance supporting a Palestinian state.

The senior official explained that public sector employees in Gaza, who receive their salaries from Ramallah, are expected to fill vacant administrative positions under the new arrangements. The plan does not include provisions to legislate laws or policies specific to Gaza, which Ramallah sees as a strong indicator of the continued application of Palestinian law there. Arab countries, along with Turkey, which strongly supported the return of the Palestinian Authority to Gaza, are rumored to participate in the international stabilization force responsible for the sector’s security during the transitional period, giving Ramallah confidence it will have a significant voice in Gaza’s future.

However, the Palestinian Authority faces serious obstacles, including financial pressures and ongoing accusations of inefficiency and lack of legitimacy due to repeated election postponements during President Mahmoud Abbas’s tenure. Nevertheless, the Authority has pledged to implement fundamental reforms and align governance with international expectations, including holding elections within a year after a ceasefire decision in Gaza.

The recent wave of recognitions of Palestine at the United Nations, many linked to these reform commitments, provides Ramallah with additional incentive to proceed with reforms to enhance broader international support. Regarding US calls for the Palestinian Authority to halt unilateral actions in international forums, including the UN and the International Court of Justice, a Palestinian official said the leadership currently does not plan to file new cases before international legal bodies.

What is needed now more than ever is sincere and serious national dialogue to integrate Hamas into the Palestine Liberation Organization and reach a formula where decisive decisions related to war and peace are made under the broadest possible Palestinian umbrella, granting those decisions true legitimacy and popular credibility.

The step of reinstating Nasser al-Qudwa to his position in Fatah reflected an important development, not only internally but internationally, due to his extensive political network in influential international capitals. However, much more is required to restore genuine and effective national cohesion. Will attempts to achieve national unity finally succeed?