In an unexpected turn of events, the Arab world now has a unique chance to demonstrate its genuine concern for the welfare of the Palestinians. With Israel poised to bring an end to Hamas, Gaza will soon face a political void.
Unsurprisingly, Israeli leaders have little desire to maintain control over a territory that has been impoverished and oppressed by Hamas, leading to the suffering of its 2 million inhabitants. Similarly, the majority of Gazans do not wish to return to Israeli administration.
The solution to this dilemma lies in the Arab world taking responsibility for the future of Gaza. Although it is currently challenging to determine how such an arrangement would work whilst Hamas is still in power, establishing broad Arab responsibility should serve as the guiding principle for the new order.
For 75 years, Arab leaders have expressed their commitment to Palestinian statehood, often using this rhetoric to vilify Israel. Now is their chance to actively contribute to building a functional Palestinian state.
Will it be an expensive, difficult, and controversial endeavor with no guaranteed success? Absolutely. However, it is likely to be far less costly than the wars Arab leaders previously waged in an attempt to destroy Israel. Additionally, it may prove to be a more cost-effective alternative to the substantial funds that have been funneled into the autocratic, corrupt, and widely reviled Palestinian Authority over the past three decades under the Oslo Accords’ framework for state-building.
Egypt’s Crucial Role
In the post-Hamas era, Egypt is crucial and must step up first. Geographically, as the only country adjacent to Gaza apart from Israel, Egypt is bound to play a key role. Moreover, Egypt has a historical connection to Gaza, having occupied the territory from 1948 to 1967 and even prevented the formation of a Palestinian government after the first Arab-Israeli war.
However, Egypt has recently made positive contributions and played a constructive role in mediating conflicts between Israel and Hamas. Although the peace between Egypt and Israel has been tense, the diplomatic relations between the two nations have lasted for over four decades.
Yet, Egypt cannot bear the financial burden of supporting refugees or rebuilding Gaza. Its fragile economy simply cannot sustain such an expense. Therefore, the Gulf states must step in. Qatar has already allocated hundreds of millions of dollars to Gaza programs, which were agreed upon with Israel. However, it has also directed funds towards the military activities of the terror group, Hamas.
Given Qatar’s track record, if its concern for the Palestinians is genuine, it should provide funding while ensuring neutral officials oversee its proper allocation. The United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Bahrain could play a more direct role by both funding postwar Gaza and deploying officials to help govern the territory alongside Egypt. Notably, the UAE and Bahrain have already normalized relations with Israel through the 2020 Abraham Accords.
The Saudi government is actively seeking an opportunity to normalize relations as well, while simultaneously proving that peace with Israel does not equate to the abandonment of the Palestinian cause. What better way to achieve this than by becoming a leading sponsor of a Palestinian entity that has the potential to govern itself?
As for the people of Gaza, the new governing authorities should gradually experiment with self-governance. Holding elections in the short term may be futile, as Hamas could potentially manipulate the process behind the scenes despite being formally banned. Nonetheless, Gaza’s inhabitants need an environment wherein they can enjoy freedom of speech, religion, and assembly, allowing them to begin building their civil society.
In the interim, advisory councils, potentially even elected ones, can be established, but the transitional authority must retain power. Additionally, Israel will need to implement certain security measures, regardless of their popularity, to prevent any resurgence of terrorism.
Of course, there are numerous ways in which this proposed plan could go wrong. The United States does not consider Egypt or the Gulf states as models of good governance. Yet, transforming Gaza into something resembling Bahrain or the UAE would already be a significant improvement compared to its conditions over the past two decades.
After 75 years of advocating for Palestinian statehood, Arab leaders must seize this unexpected opportunity to take action for the benefit of the Palestinians.
David Adesnik is a senior fellow at the Foundation for the Defense of Democracies.
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