West Bank: New Front Challenges Israel, Palestinian Authority

The West Bank witnessed widespread unrest on Tuesday night as Palestinian anger flared in the aftermath of the massacre at the Al-Ahli Arab hospital in Gaza. (AFP)
The West Bank witnessed widespread unrest on Tuesday night as Palestinian anger flared in the aftermath of the massacre at the Al-Ahli Arab hospital in Gaza. (AFP)
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West Bank: New Front Challenges Israel, Palestinian Authority

The West Bank witnessed widespread unrest on Tuesday night as Palestinian anger flared in the aftermath of the massacre at the Al-Ahli Arab hospital in Gaza. (AFP)
The West Bank witnessed widespread unrest on Tuesday night as Palestinian anger flared in the aftermath of the massacre at the Al-Ahli Arab hospital in Gaza. (AFP)

The West Bank has witnessed escalating tensions that could potentially open a third front against Israel, along with Gaza and the Lebanese border, since Israel launched its war on the coastal enclave two weeks ago,

Hamas has been actively pushing the West Bank toward a larger confrontation with Israel, even before it launched Al-Aqsa Storm operation on Oct.7.

The Islamic Jihad has also explicitly urged Palestinians in the West Bank to bear arms and engage in the confrontation with Israel.

While much of the attention has been focused on the borders with Gaza and Lebanon, tensions have significantly escalated in the West Bank.

Palestinians there have carried out armed attacks on Israeli military positions, engaged in angry protests, and clashed violently with the army.

It appears that the army has decided to change its approach and crack down on the Palestinians in the area, much like what it is doing in Gaza.

Nabil Abu Rudeineh, the official spokesperson for Palestinian Authority’s President Mahmoud Abbas, accused Israel of waging a comprehensive war against Palestinians wherever they are located.

He stated that Israel is a lawless state committing crimes in both the West Bank and Gaza.

The West Bank witnessed widespread unrest on Tuesday night as Palestinian anger flared in the aftermath of the massacre at the Al-Ahli Arab hospital in Gaza.

Thousands of people took to the streets across the West Bank, with some clashing with Palestinian security forces, protesting what they saw as “Abbas’s insufficient support for Hamas.”

While Abbas has not directly attacked Hamas, he has been keen on not supporting it, emphasizing multiple times that the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) is the sole representative of the people and focusing more on efforts to halt the war against civilians.

The relationship between Abbas and Hamas has been strained since the movement’s takeover of Gaza in 2007, with the wars in Gaza only exacerbating these tensions.



Palestinian Authority to Introduce Major Reforms amid Mounting Pressure from Gaza War 

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. (Reuters)
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. (Reuters)
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Palestinian Authority to Introduce Major Reforms amid Mounting Pressure from Gaza War 

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. (Reuters)
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. (Reuters)

The Palestinian Central Council will hold an extraordinary meeting to establish the position of vice president to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

The meeting, set for April 23 and 24, will cap a series of reforms and changes to the Palestinian Authority (PA) that Abbas had kicked off in recent weeks under internal and foreign pressure prompted by Israel’s war on Gaza.

Some 180 members of the council have been invited to the meeting in Ramallah where they will establish the new post, but not necessarily name a person to fill it.

Abbas had announced during an emergency Arab summit in Cairo in March that he was forging ahead with changes in the PA, revealing that he will name a vice president for Palestine and for the Palestine Liberation Organization.

He also said he will restructure leadership frameworks in the state and pump new blood in the PLO, Fatah and state agencies.

The National Council, which acts as the Palestinian parliament, had in 2018 tasked the Central Council with assuming its duties.

The Council meeting will also discuss efforts to reclaim Gaza and national unity.

Informed sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that discussions are underway over whether the post of vice president and the appointment of a figure should take place during the meeting; or whether the appointment should take place at a later date.

Regardless of the decision, what matters is that the decision to establish the post has been taken, said the sources, explaining that it meets local and international calls for reforms.

Debate had raged for years over the establishment of the position given Abbas’ age – 90 – but the war on Gaza has forced him to take decisive steps.

Arab countries have conditioned any support to the PA in Gaza after the war to it introducing wide-scale reforms and changes. The US has been making the call for years, but Abbas has repeatedly avoided the issue.