2026.. Expectations and Predictions

The most frequently asked question in recent days across all media has been focused on the predictions of writers and political analysts for the year 2026 and its events, and the attempt to explore imagined events or to predict scenarios for the coming year; some have immersed themselves in predictions to outline the road map or to form an idea of what might happen in the future relying on intuition, experience, or the available information. Conversely, others have engaged in forecasting to sketch multiple scenarios, relying on current available information to estimate or guess what might happen in the future.

In my opinion, it is impossible to predict events given the multiple uncontrolled variables and conflicting interests tied to the behavior of states on one hand, the leaders driving domestic policy on the other, the "influential" individuals affecting it on a third hand, and the behavior of ordinary individuals on a fourth hand. All these factors have unlimited influences on the development of events or are defined in their drawing, leading to what falls under desires and astrology. However, predictions and scenario drawing are not solely based on science and information, but they open the door for "reason" to think in front of others on one hand, and help create opportunities for others to weigh them on another hand, and to redraw them based on information or cognitive understanding on a third hand.

Answering the questions at the beginning of the year requires a lot of foresight, wisdom, and thought so as not to place citizens in perceptions that deepen their disappointments, or darken their days, or lead them to an illusion arising from ideological whims to satisfy political or personal desires. Over the past two years, politicians have spoken about the possibility of military victory in the battle, and while this may be acceptable from politicians, it is unacceptable from writers and political and military analysts who have followed the whims of politically inclined or sensationalized media in some instances to increase viewership on their screens, to flatter the ruling regime in their countries, or to issue judgments benefiting their owners regarding the Palestinians. Or they have followed their party affiliations to obtain fictitious victories or out of their partisan animosities.

The challenges of the Palestinian reality show legendary resilience of the Palestinian people or the lower classes among them; it is not a revelation from the fantasies of politicians and their nonsense but rather a historical inevitability proven by the experiences of colonized peoples, and the experience of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip during the years of burning, oppression, and death. Historically, the problem of the Palestinians lies in the inability of their leadership to unify their scattered efforts, their differing visions, and the influence of the contradictory interests of their influential figures.