... the UAE have established official relations with the Jewish state. In 2023, there were
reports
that Saudi Arabia and Israel may sign an agreement to normalize bilateral relations, which was actively promoted by the United States. However, after the Hamas attack on Israel last October 7, Saudi Arabia
suspended
its participation in these negotiations. Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries are interested in economic and technological cooperation with the Jewish state, including the need to carry ...
... resistance axis: is a political term used primarily in the Middle East and means the implicit strategic alliance (political and military) that primarily opposes the Israeli occupation of Palestine. This axis includes: Iran, Syria, Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Palestine, as well as the Popular Mobilization Forces in Iraq, also the Houthi Ansar Allah movement in Yemen.
Salam AL Rabadi
... year ago, the bomb itself never exploded. This situation calls for an explanation, particularly to assess the risk that the bomb might eventually detonate in the foreseeable future, among other things.
One explanation for the current situation around Palestine lies in the distinct nature of Hamas, which has an ambiguous reputation in the Arab world. Cairo does not hold it in high regard, and Egypt’s current military leadership, not without reason, draws parallels between Palestinian radicals and the Muslim Brotherhood movement (banned ...
... move will usher in a new period of internal political development in Palestine. In 2006, Palestine held its legislative election, and Hamas won 74 of the total 132 seats while Fatah won 45. However, due to Israeli and Western opposition, a potential Palestine government led by Hamas has never been put in place. In the last 18 years, Palestine’s political makeup has been marked by Fatah and Hamas separately governing the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
The Beijing Declaration clearly lays out a path towards building a united ...
... in 2005 drew a barrage of criticism against him, and the society was effectively polarized. It was a hard decision, yet Sharon made it nonetheless. Another politician, the already mentioned Yitzhak Rabin, took it upon himself to sign agreements with Palestine that brought the two nations closer to mutual recognition. And he paid for it with his life.
There is a perception that Israel “doesn’t talk to terrorists.” But this is not quite so. Israel will have to negotiate with Hamas. The movement knows very well that the longer it holds the hostages, the greater the chance that Israel will not be able to raze Gaza quickly, since both Israeli citizens and foreigners will then suffer. So prolonging hostilities is not always about ...
... affect the course of Operation Iron Swords.
Consequences for Palestine and Israel
If anyone expected that the escalation with Israel would somehow contribute to the consolidation of the Palestinian society, they should be disappointed. Divisions within Palestine persist along many lines: Hamas and Fatah, radicals and technocrats, Gaza and the West Bank, the outgoing and a newer generation of politicians. Attempts to help Palestinians find internal unity have repeatedly been made in recent months, including by Russia, which hosted a meeting ...
... this solution? What impact will all this have on the Palestinian movement, divided by internal rivalries, especially between Hamas in the Gaza Strip and the Fatah in the West Bank? Questions abound, and these were just a few. Anyway, it’s clear that ... ... time, we can notice that it gradually but consistently transformed, upon the adoption of the UN resolution on the partition of Palestine in 1947, from an interstate stand-off that went through three wars (1947, 1967 and 1973) into the problem of Israeli-Palestinian ...
... Israel and other Western nations, tried to construct Palestine issue as a part of global fight against terrorism, and particularly Hamas as a terrorist organization. The latest such construction is that they describe the conflict between Israel and Palestine as that between Israel and Hamas, which intentionally suggests that Israel has been fighting against terrorism.
That is an apparent distortion of the nature of conflict between Israel and Palestine. Despite various aspects of the conflict, the nature of the tension between Israel ...
... would create conditions for the partial or complete lifting of the Israel–Egypt blockade. In addition, if the leaders of Hamas want funding from outside sponsors, they will need to reach an agreement with the PNA. Egypt, a traditional go-between for Hamas and the PNA, would play a major part in the process. Another matter entirely is the fact that Cairo is experiencing difficulties in gaining concessions for Palestine from Israel, since Israel is an important ally of Egypt in the fighting against extremists on the Sinai Peninsula. The Gulf states, primarily Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, could play a positive role here. These countries seek a ...
... current situation and open a door to new conflicts rather than solving the old ones. Tellingly, Israel's president, Reuven Rivlin,
has voiced
his strong opposition to the controversial new law.
These developments may represent a golden opportunity for Hamas to expand its influence in the West Bank and Jerusalem. In fact, the situation may turn into a win – win scenario for Hamas and other Islamic groups. On the one hand, if the Palestinian Authority accepted to hold presidential and legislative ...
