Latest news with #PalestinianNationalCouncil
Arab News
11 hours ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Palestinian official says Hamas leader's speech ‘offends' Egypt, Jordan
LONDON: Rawhi Fattuh, the chairman of the Palestinian National Council, criticized the speech by Hamas' top leader in exile, Khalil Al-Hayya, as reflecting the internal crisis and political confusion faced by the armed group. Fattuh said that Al-Hayya's claims during a televised speech on Sunday against Egypt and Jordan are an attempt to export the group's internal crisis to regional countries. 'The attacks on Egypt and Jordan demonstrate the political confusion that Hamas is experiencing,' he said, according to Wafa news agency. He added that the speech reflects a desperate attempt to shift blame away from Hamas' 'failed policies and uncalculated adventures' that have worsened the suffering of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Al-Hayya questioned Egypt's role in stopping the mass starvation caused by the Israeli regime in Gaza, stating: 'Are your brothers in Gaza dying of hunger while they are at your border, so close to you?' Al-Hayya also urged Jordanians to continue their 'popular uprising' to stop the Israeli atrocities in Gaza. This prompted a response from Amman stating that 'the Jordanian people act independently and are not influenced by external directives or Palestinian factions.' Fattuh said on Tuesday that Egypt and Jordan have been steadfast in their support for Palestinians in Gaza and against the Israeli displacement plans. 'It would have been more important under Hamas leadership to recognize this honorable role and appreciate the sacrifices, rather than to offend them with hostile statements that do not reflect the Palestinian national interest,' he said. He held Hamas responsible for leaving almost 2 million Palestinians in Gaza as victims of Israeli atrocities, the monopoly of merchants, and deteriorating living conditions. 'These statements benefit the (Israeli) occupation,' he said, asserting that Palestinians refuse to engage in 'imaginary battles' and stand with their Arab brethren. Neither Hamas nor Islamic Jihad is part of the Palestine Liberation Organization, and both groups have long rejected calls to join what Palestinians consider their sole political representative since the 1960s. The armed group has controlled the Gaza Strip since 2007 following clashes with the Palestinian Authority forces, which resulted in the deaths of nearly 700 Palestinians, according to an official tally. Since then, it has engaged in several conflicts with Israel, the most recent being the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks, which resulted in the deaths and abduction of several hundred people and prompted an ongoing Israeli war on Gaza, which has killed over 60,000 Palestinians.
Japan Today
5 days ago
- Politics
- Japan Today
Three quarters of UN states support Palestinian state
In 1988, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat unilaterally proclaimed an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital By Marie JULIEN Three quarters of UN members recognise a state of Palestine, with major power France set to join them in September following an announcement Thursday by its President Emmanuel Macron. The Israel-Hamas war, raging in Gaza since the Palestinian militant group's attack on October 7, 2023, has revived a global push for Palestinians to be given a state of their own. The action breaks with the long-held view of Western powers that Palestinians can only gain statehood as part of a negotiated peace with Israel. According to an AFP tally, at least 142 countries out of the 193 UN members have now recognised or plan to recognise a Palestinian state. They include most Middle Eastern, African, Latin American and Asian countries, but not the United States, Canada, most of western Europe, Australia, Japan or South Korea. Here is a quick recap of the Palestinians' quest for statehood: 1988: Arafat proclaims state On November 15, 1988, during the first Palestinian intifada, or uprising against Israeli rule, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat unilaterally proclaimed an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital. He made the announcement in Algiers at a meeting of the exiled Palestinian National Council, which adopted the two-state solution as a goal, with independent Israeli and Palestinian states existing side-by-side. Minutes later, Algeria became the first country to officially recognise an independent Palestinian state. Within a week, dozens of other countries, including much of the Arab world, India, Turkey, most of Africa and several central and eastern European countries followed suit. The next wave of recognitions came in late 2010 and early 2011, at a time of crisis for the Middle East peace process. South American countries including Argentina, Brazil and Chile answered calls by the Palestinians to endorse their statehood claims. This came in response to Israel's decision to end a temporary ban on Jewish settlement-building in the occupied West Bank. 2011-2012: UN recognition In 2011, with peace talks at a standstill, the Palestinians pushed ahead with a campaign for full UN membership for a state of Palestine. The quest failed but, in a groundbreaking move on October 31 of that year, the UN cultural agency UNESCO voted to accept the Palestinians as a full member, much to the dismay of Israel and the United States. In November 2012, the Palestinian flag was raised for the first time at the United Nations in New York after the General Assembly overwhelmingly voted to upgrade the status of the Palestinians to "non-member observer state". Three years later, the International Criminal Court also accepted Palestine as a state party. 2024: New push in Europe Israel's offensive in Gaza after the October 7, 2023 attack has boosted support for Palestinian statehood. Four Caribbean countries (Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados and the Bahamas) and Armenia took the diplomatic step in 2024. So did four European countries: Norway, Spain, Ireland and Slovenia, the latter three EU members. Within the European Union, this was a first in 10 years since Sweden's move in 2014, which resulted in years of strained relations with Israel. Other member states such as Poland, Bulgaria and Romania had already done so in 1988, long before joining the EU. On the other hand, some former Eastern bloc countries such as Hungary and the Czech Republic do not or no longer recognise a state of Palestine. Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer Thursday called for a ceasefire in Gaza, saying such a move could "put us on a path to the recognition of a Palestinian state and a two-state solution which guarantees peace and security for Palestinians and Israelis." Among other countries that could also formally express recognition, Malta, Australia and Canada have raised the possibility. © 2025 AFP
Arab News
7 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.
Barnama
06-07-2025
- Politics
- Barnama
Palestinian National Council Urges Global Action To Stop Israeli Crimes
RAMALLAH, July 6 (Bernama-QNA) -- The Palestinian National Council (PNC) called on the international community to take immediate action to stop the crimes of the Israeli occupation and to provide urgent international protection for the Palestinian people, Qatar News Agency (QNA) reported. It demanded that the occupation be held accountable before the International Criminal Court (ICC) for the atrocities committed against civilians in both Gaza and the occupied West Bank. PNC Chairman Rawhi Fattouh stated on Sunday that the forced displacement of dozens of Palestinian families from the Arab Al Malihat area northwest of Jericho is a new crime added to the occupation's long record of violations of international law.
Middle East Eye
24-06-2025
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
Palestinian official says Gaza aid strike a 'deliberate war crime'
Rawhi Fattouh, speaker of the Palestinian National Council, has condemned the killing of over 27 Palestinians in an Israeli strike on Salah al-Din Street in central Gaza, calling it a 'new war crime' added to the occupation's 'bloody record'. Fattouh said Israeli forces targeted civilians as they waited for food aid, wounding dozens and turning a site meant for relief into what he called an 'open field of death,' the Palestinian news agency Wafa reported. 'Never in the history of war have pain and hunger been turned into tools for mass murder, aid used as bait for death, and food distribution centres turned into arenas for mass executions,' he said in a press statement. He accused Israel of deliberately transforming aid convoys into 'death traps,' saying the attack was carried out with 'American cover and international silence.' 'This complex crime reveals complete complicity between the occupation army and its American backer in the killing of innocent civilians,' he said, calling the attack a violation of international humanitarian law. Fattouh urged the UN and International Criminal Court to launch an immediate investigation and called on people worldwide to take to the streets to protest what he called 'planned crimes' and a 'genocidal war' against the Palestinian people.
