Latest news with #PLO
New Indian Express
19 hours ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
French President Macron says France will recognize Palestine as a state
The Palestinian Authority welcomed it. A letter announcing the move was presented Thursday to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Jerusalem. ''We express our thanks and appreciation'' to Macron, Hussein Al Sheikh, the PLO's vice president under Abbas, posted. ''This position reflects France's commitment to international law and its support for the Palestinian people's rights to self-determination.'' There was no immediate reaction from the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump. With Europe's largest Jewish population and the largest Muslim population in western Europe, France has often seen fighting in the Middle East spill over into protests or other tensions at home. The French president offered support for Israel after the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks and frequently speaks out against antisemitism, but he has grown increasingly frustrated about Israel's war in Gaza. "Given its historic commitment to a just and sustainable peace in the Middle East, I have decided that France will recognize the state of Palestine,'' Macron posted. "Peace is possible.'' Thursday's announcement came soon after the U.S. cut short Gaza ceasefire talks in Qatar, saying Hamas wasn't showing good faith. It also came days before France and Saudi Arabia are co-hosting a conference at the U.N. next week about a two-state solution. Last month, Macron expressed his "determination to recognize the state of Palestine," and he has pushed for a broader movement toward a two-state solution in parallel with recognition of Israel and its right to defend itself.
Arab News
2 days ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Will PLO elections serve the people or the status quo?
In a surprising political development, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on Saturday announced that elections for the Palestinian National Council — the legislative body of the Palestine Liberation Organization — will be held before the end of 2025. This is the first time such a step has been taken since the council's inception in Jerusalem in 1964. The announcement, made through the official Palestinian news agency WAFA, stipulates that 350 representatives will be elected: two-thirds from within the Occupied Territories and one-third from the diaspora. On the surface, this declaration may appear like a long-overdue democratic revival. But its timing raises critical questions. Why now? Why in the midst of the most brutal and prolonged war on Gaza since 1948 — a war that has claimed the lives of more than 38,000 Palestinians and displaced more than 2 million? What purpose do elections serve when a large portion of the Palestinian people is either starving, under bombardment or buried under the rubble of their homes? One cannot separate Abbas' announcement from the broader political landscape. The PLO has long suffered from a legitimacy crisis. For years, the Palestinian Authority has governed parts of the West Bank under Israeli occupation, while Hamas has controlled Gaza since the 2006 legislative elections — ironically, the last time a national vote took place. That rift has rendered Palestinian politics fractured and paralyzed, with no clear roadmap for unity, nor for meaningful resistance. By calling for PNC elections now, Abbas may be aiming to reassert the relevance of the PLO as the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people — especially at a time when many in Gaza, and even some in the diaspora, feel alienated from traditional political institutions. The decision also seems designed to counter growing criticism from both inside and outside Palestine that the PA has become increasingly disconnected from the realities on the ground. With Gaza engulfed in suffering and resistance rising to the forefront of regional and global discourse, the PLO leadership likely feels pressured to project a sense of political dynamism — even if symbolic. Yet symbolism, in this context, may not be enough. What Palestinians need now is not just elections but transformation. They need leadership that reflects the reality of occupation, resistance and survival under siege. They require an inclusive democratic structure that transcends bureaucratic reshuffling and provides a unified vision for liberation. They need leaders who understand that credibility is not restored at a ballot box alone — but through action, sacrifice and standing firmly with their people, especially in Gaza. The criteria for PNC membership, as outlined by Abbas — namely, commitment to the PLO's political program and international legitimacy — may also be a double-edged sword. While they may ensure some ideological cohesion, these stipulations risk excluding key factions like Hamas and Islamic Jihad, both of which, regardless of political position, represent significant segments of Palestinian society and have borne the brunt of the current Israeli assault. Any elections that reinforce old divisions rather than healing them may only perpetuate the fragmentation that has plagued Palestinian politics for decades. Furthermore, the war in Gaza continues to rage with horrifying intensity. According to UN estimates, more than 90 percent of homes in Gaza have been damaged or destroyed. Hundreds of thousands of people are on the brink of starvation. In this context, how realistic — or ethical — is it to talk about elections? What guarantee is there that Gazans will be allowed to participate freely and fairly in a vote, when their cities lie in ruins and their internet and electricity are regularly cut off? There is also the question of diaspora representation. The announcement that one-third of PNC seats will go to Palestinians abroad is significant, as it nods to the historical breadth of the Palestinian cause. However, ensuring meaningful participation from refugee communities in Lebanon, Syria, Jordan, Europe and the Americas will require extraordinary logistical, legal and diplomatic coordination — something the PA has consistently struggled to deliver in the past. The PLO leadership likely feels pressured to project a sense of political dynamism — even if symbolic. Hani Hazaimeh Let's be clear: Palestinian elections are long overdue. Democratic renewal is essential — not just for optics, but for survival. The Palestinian people are not just victims of military aggression; they are active agents of their own future. They deserve a voice and they deserve leadership that does not treat elections as a mere rubber stamp, but as a tool for genuine change. However, if these elections are held merely to polish the fading image of the PLO without addressing the root causes of Palestinian disunity and institutional paralysis, they may backfire. They may reinforce the perception that the leadership in Ramallah remains detached from the daily struggles of Palestinians in Gaza, in refugee camps and under occupation in the West Bank. At this critical hour, Palestinians need more than announcements. They need justice. They need an end to the siege on Gaza, accountability for war crimes and a bold, united political front capable of speaking for all Palestinians, in all places. If the planned elections for the PNC can be a step toward that future — one that includes every voice, prioritizes resistance and breaks with the stagnation of the past — then perhaps they will be worth the effort. But if not, then this may be yet another performance in a political theater long disconnected from the suffering of its own audience.
Saba Yemen
2 days ago
- Politics
- Saba Yemen
Palestinian Resistance Factions: Abbas's Decision Violation of National Consensus
Ramallah - Saba: Palestinian resistance factions on Wednesday considered Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas's decision to hold new National Council elections without national consensus and with preconditions a violation of national consensus and a new departure from the collective decisions that set the conditions for any electoral process. The factions said, in a statement received by the Yemeni News Agency (Saba), that Abbas's decision perpetuates isolationism and division at this crucial, fateful moment in the history of the national cause, which is being subjected to liquidation, conspiracies, and malicious schemes. This decision calls for the highest levels of unity and solidarity among all components of the Palestinian people. She added, "The Palestinian resistance factions consider the top priorities in this exceptional phase for our people to be stopping the Zionist aggression, the war of genocide, and ethnic cleansing; breaking the siege on Gaza; stopping the displacement and Zionist aggression targeting our people in the cities and camps of the West Bank, especially Jenin and Tulkarm; confronting Judaization and settlement expansion in Jerusalem and throughout the occupied West Bank; and supporting the resistance, which embodies the unity of our people in confrontation and steadfastness." The factions reiterated their rejection of the President of the Palestinian Authority's call for National Council elections at this time and during these difficult circumstances for the Palestinian people, and of the preconditions he set for membership in the National Council, particularly those related to full commitment to the current PLO program and its international obligations. They explained that these conditions were designed to exclude a large and diverse segment of Palestinian forces, actors, and figures, and perpetuate the Palestinian crisis rather than address it, especially since the current PLO policy has significantly contributed to the decline in the rights and status of the Palestinian people and their cause. They pointed out that a true, national solution to the crisis facing the Palestinian people requires, first and foremost, joint and serious action to stop the bloodshed in Gaza and the ethnic cleansing perpetrated by the Zionist entity under the auspices of the US administration and with the complicity of the international community. The factions continued: "Then comes the presence of a genuine political will that rejects monopoly and leads to a comprehensive national dialogue with the active participation of all Palestinian forces, factions, and various actors. This will lead to a comprehensive national program of resistance to rebuild all our national institutions on the basis of true partnership and mobilize all components of our people to confront the malicious conspiracies and plots aimed at liquidating the Palestinian cause." Whatsapp Telegram Email Print
The National
3 days ago
- Politics
- The National
US ambassador meets Palestinian official on first Ramallah visit
Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) vice president Hussein Al Sheikh has met US ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee in the occupied West Bank. The meeting took place during Mr Huckabee's first official visit to Ramallah, seen as the de facto headquarters of the Palestinian Authority, and comes amid mounting international pressure on Israel. 'Discussions were held regarding support for efforts to stop the war in the Gaza Strip, release the hostages and deliver urgent aid to the Palestinian people there,' Mr Al Sheikh wrote on X. 'The current situation in the West Bank was also discussed, including the severe economic and financial crisis and settler violence,' he a, adding that the 'American role' in achieving peace in the region was among the topics. Mr Al Sheikh was appointed vice president in April in a newly-created role which has been seen by some as a way for President Mahmoud Abbas to appoint a successor and delegate some of his responsibilities. Mr Al Sheikh is also vice president of the PLO, which was founded in 1964 to negotiate and sign international treaties on behalf of the Palestinian people. Relations between the US and the Palestinian Authority were strained during US President Donald Trump 's first term in the White House, during which he moved the US embassy to Jerusalem and recognised it as Israel's capital, breaking with international consensus. Last Saturday, Mr Huckabee visited Taybeh, a Christian village in the occupied West Bank, where he called for justice after an attack on a church blamed by locals on Israeli settlers. The ambassador is a leading figure on the conservative Christian right in the US and is close to pro-settlement groups. Despite increasing international condemnation of Israeli actions in Gaza and settler violence in the occupied West Bank, Mr Huckabee has remained firm in his stance. He labelled a 25-country statement, including UK and France, condemning Israel's 'drip feeding of aid and the inhumane killing of civilians' as 'disgusting' and said Western allies should instead pressure the 'savages of Hamas'. Nevertheless, Mr Huckabee urged Israel to 'aggressively investigate the murder of Saif Musallat ', a Palestinian-American beaten to death by Israeli settlers, calling it 'a criminal and terrorist act'.
Al-Ahram Weekly
3 days ago
- Politics
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Top Palestinian official meets US ambassador to Israel in Ramallah - Region
Hussein al-Sheikh, vice-president of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), on Tuesday said he met the US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, in the occupied West Bank. Sheikh, a close aide to Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas, said the meeting took place in his office. The meeting was Huckabee's first official visit to Ramallah, which is home to key Palestinian Authority institutions. "Discussions were held regarding support for efforts to stop the war in the Gaza Strip, release the hostages and deliver urgent aid to the Palestinian people there," he wrote on X. "The current situation in the West Bank was also discussed, including the severe economic and financial crisis and settler violence. "Ways to strengthen bilateral relations were explored, as well as the importance of the American role in achieving stability, security, and peace in the region." I met with the United States Ambassador, Mr. Huckabee, today at my office in Ramallah. @GovMikeHuckabee Discussions were held regarding support for efforts to stop the war in the Gaza Strip, release the hostages, and deliver urgent aid to the Palestinian people there. The… — حسين الشيخ Hussein Al Sheikh (@HusseinSheikhpl) July 22, 2025 Sheikh, a veteran of Abbas's Fatah party, was appointed as vice-president of the PLO leadership in April, a newly created position. Founded in 1964, the PLO is empowered to negotiate and sign international treaties on behalf of the Palestinian people, while the Palestinian Authority is responsible for governance in parts of the Palestinian territories. Relations between the United States and the Palestinian Authority were strained during Donald Trump's first term as president, during which he moved the US embassy to Jerusalem and recognised it as Israel's capital, in a break with international consensus. Last Saturday, Huckabee visited Taybeh, a Christian village in the occupied West Bank, where he called for justice after an attack on a church blamed by locals on Israeli settlers. The ambassador is a leading figure on the conservative Christian right in the United States and is close to pro-settlement groups. Nevertheless, Huckabee urged Israel to "aggressively investigate the murder of Saif Mussallet", a Palestinian-American beaten to death by Israeli settlers, calling it "a criminal and terrorist act". Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
