Jihad Harb to SadaNews: "The Continued Absence of Fatah from Faction Meetings May Anger Sponsoring States"

SadaNews - The absence of the "Fatah" movement from the recent meeting of Palestinian factions held in Cairo has raised several questions regarding the reasons for non-participation and its implications for efforts aimed at unifying the Palestinian ranks, especially in light of the search for the second phase of the American plan and the file concerning the administrative committee of Gaza.

In a special interview, political analyst Jihad Harb stated that the decision of the "Fatah" movement not to participate in the meeting is attributed to a series of internal and political reasons, the most notable of which is the existence of a current within the movement known as the "Democratic Current" or "Future Current," led by former MP Mohammad Dahlan, who still considers himself part of "Fatah," posing a challenge to the official leadership of the movement.

Harb added that the meeting, despite the significant efforts made by the Arab Republic of Egypt to unify the Palestinian ranks, did not fully align with the Palestinian Authority's vision regarding the governance of Gaza.

He explained that the Authority had hoped the administrative committee arising from the agreement would fall under the supervision of the Palestinian government, and that one of the current ministers would preside over it, but the outcomes of the meeting indicated that the reference for the committee would be Arab and international, which did not align with "Fatah"'s stance that insists the Palestinian Authority should be the sole reference for any administrative framework in the sector.

Harb pointed out that "Fatah"'s absence could provoke dissatisfaction among sponsoring states, particularly Egypt, which is working to hold a broader new meeting that includes all factions in Cairo in the near future, expecting that the movement will seek to participate in this meeting to avoid further discrepancies.

Harb emphasized that the current stage requires all Palestinian factions to "manage their disagreements wisely," given the magnitude of the humanitarian and political disaster experienced in Gaza, stressing that "the future of the Palestinian cause is linked to national unity, not to the multiplicity of political frameworks."

Regarding the possibility of reaching an agreement to hold general Palestinian elections, Harb viewed that talking about it "remains difficult in light of the absence of clear political will," but at the same time called for setting a clear and specific date for elections if genuine intentions are present, along with agreeing on a consensual law to organize the electoral process to ensure everyone's participation.

Harb concluded his remarks by asserting that the interests of the Palestinian people "must remain above all considerations."