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Hamas Revives Momentum for Political Bureau Chief Election

Hamas leaders, from right: Rawhi Mushtaha, Saleh al-Arouri and Ismail Haniyeh, all of whom were assassinated, and Khaled Meshaal and Khalil al-Hayya (file photo, Hamas media)
Hamas leaders, from right: Rawhi Mushtaha, Saleh al-Arouri and Ismail Haniyeh, all of whom were assassinated, and Khaled Meshaal and Khalil al-Hayya (file photo, Hamas media)
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Hamas Revives Momentum for Political Bureau Chief Election

Hamas leaders, from right: Rawhi Mushtaha, Saleh al-Arouri and Ismail Haniyeh, all of whom were assassinated, and Khaled Meshaal and Khalil al-Hayya (file photo, Hamas media)
Hamas leaders, from right: Rawhi Mushtaha, Saleh al-Arouri and Ismail Haniyeh, all of whom were assassinated, and Khaled Meshaal and Khalil al-Hayya (file photo, Hamas media)

Two sources in the Palestinian group Hamas said on Wednesday that the movement has resumed the process of electing a new head of its political bureau, pending the full selection of its members.

The move restores momentum to the leadership race after it stalled at least twice in January and February.

A source inside Gaza told Asharq Al-Awsat that “conditions that had been hindering the elections have been resolved,” opening the way for the process to restart.

He said some of those conditions were linked to internal organizational disputes in the enclave, adding that once settled, the decision was made to resume the process, alongside external political and security factors and ongoing negotiations.

Hamas faces its most severe crisis since its founding in 1987, after Israeli strikes launched in response to the Oct. 7, 2023, attack hit multiple wings and levels of the group, triggering organizational and financial strains.

Estimates suggest Khaled Meshaal, head of the political bureau abroad, and Khalil al-Hayya, head of the political bureau in Gaza, are the leading contenders.

Observers and figures inside and outside Hamas say al-Hayya is backed by members in Gaza and the Qassam Brigades, while Meshaal has stronger support in the West Bank and abroad.

A source outside Gaza said the vote will take place across all accessible arenas, inside Gaza, the West Bank and abroad, depending on conditions, with a decision expected soon.

For about a year and a half, a leadership council has been managing Hamas affairs.

At the start of this year, a new push began to elect a leader for the remainder of the current political bureau’s term, originally due to end in 2025 and extended by one year, pending broader elections expected at the end of this year or early next year.

An attempt to hold the vote in mid-February was disrupted by the US-Israeli war on Iran, sources said at the time.

The vote will be limited to selecting a new political bureau chief to lead Hamas inside and outside the territories. Full elections for the bureau are not expected before the end of this year or early 2027.

The current leadership council, which includes Hamas leaders in Gaza, the West Bank and abroad, along with the movement’s secretary-general, and is headed by Shura Council chief Mohammed Darwish, will become an advisory body overseeing the group’s internal and external affairs.

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Arab World

Talabani Deepens Dispute with Barzani as Settlement Appears out of Reach

Bafel Talabani, the leader of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), and son of the former Iraqi president Jalal Talabani, attends the inauguration and handover ceremony for the new Iraqi president at al-Salam Palace in Baghdad, Oct. 17, 2022. (AP)
Bafel Talabani, the leader of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), and son of the former Iraqi president Jalal Talabani, attends the inauguration and handover ceremony for the new Iraqi president at al-Salam Palace in Baghdad, Oct. 17, 2022. (AP)
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Talabani Deepens Dispute with Barzani as Settlement Appears out of Reach

Bafel Talabani, the leader of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), and son of the former Iraqi president Jalal Talabani, attends the inauguration and handover ceremony for the new Iraqi president at al-Salam Palace in Baghdad, Oct. 17, 2022. (AP)
Bafel Talabani, the leader of the Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), and son of the former Iraqi president Jalal Talabani, attends the inauguration and handover ceremony for the new Iraqi president at al-Salam Palace in Baghdad, Oct. 17, 2022. (AP)

Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK) leader Bafel Talabani deepened his criticism of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP), two days after KDP President Masoud Barzani called on Kurdish forces to engage in dialogue to resolve disputes between the two main parties, amid growing signs of political and administrative division between Erbil and Sulaymaniyah.

Speaking at the Sulaymaniyah Strategic Forum on Thursday, Talabani described the KDP’s actions in the Kurdistan Region parliament as a "political collapse in the history of Kurdistan," saying that shuttering the parliament prompted the PUK to no longer recognize the current legislature.

He added that the region is experiencing the reality of two governments and two administrations, accusing a minority within the KDP of rejecting any settlement that fails to meet its demands - even going so far as to block a meeting solely intended for a photo opportunity.

For his part, PUK senior official Mahmoud Khoshnaw told Asharq Al-Awsat that tensions between the two main parties "have begun to intensify day by day."

He added that hopes pinned on restoring ties following the regional parliament's November 4 session have dissipated, pushing both sides gradually toward a rift.

Khoshnaw said that Talabani’s positions, voiced on multiple occasions, are "conditional" and reflect, in his words, a commitment to safeguarding the region's entity, its constitutional rights, and the gains of the Kurdish experience.

He stressed that the current parliamentary makeup does not represent the entirety of Kurdish forces, but rather reflects the KDP's presence at a time when major Kurdish factions remain outside the legislature.

Nevertheless, he said the path to a settlement "is still not completely closed."

Criticism of US role

Among the issues raised by Talabani was his criticism of US envoy Tom Barrack's “intervention” in Kurdish disputes, stating that he disagrees with him and that the Kurdistan Region requires a fundamental resolution to its problems.

Talabani called on the US administration to understand the nature of the situation in the region, or to step back and leave the political forces in Kurdistan and Iraq to resolve their differences on their own.

He also rejected accusations that he is "under Iranian control," stating, "I am not in anyone's pocket, and I never will be," while adding that he is well-received whenever he visits the US.

Talabani praised Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, describing him as a young man with a businessman's mindset who is seeking to correct Iraq's course.

Settlement still possible

Political science professor at Mustansiriyah University Essam al-Faili told Asharq Al-Awsat that the crisis remains manageable, pointing out that Talabani favored a peaceful resolution while Barzani called for dialogue between the two sides.

He noted that Baghdad does not want the fragmentation of the region's administration.

The US is also engaged in the crisis, he remarked, saying that these factors keep the prospects for a settlement alive despite the sharp rhetoric between the two sides.

He explained that a core aspect of the dispute revolves around the distribution of sovereign posts within the region's institutions and presidencies, noting that both parties hold leverage over this file, which makes it amenable to a compromise between them.

On talk of the possibility of forming a separate Kurdish region comprising the Sulaymaniyah and Halabja governorates, constitutional and legal expert Dr. Saif al-Saadi told Asharq Al-Awsat that such a scenario is constitutionally unfeasible.

Journalist Montadhar Nasser told Asharq Al-Awsat that the internal dispute is deeply entrenched in the Kurdish political landscape, exposing a failure of institutional governance in the region as decades of efforts to unify the two administrations have fallen short.

He added that talk of establishing two separate regions may be premature, although he argued that such an outcome would better reflect reality on the ground and could resolve the ongoing debate over the nature of relations between the two parties.

Nasser suggested that this scenario could prove advantageous for Baghdad, as it would allow the federal government to deal with two regions separately, while giving both parties greater leeway to forge alliances with other political forces in the capital without being bound by conditions or restrictions imposed by one upon the other.

 

Arab World

IMF Says Its Staff in Lebanon to Discuss Banking Restructuring Strategy

A man sits at the entrance of a money transfer company office in Beirut on November 10, 2026. (AFP)
A man sits at the entrance of a money transfer company office in Beirut on November 10, 2026. (AFP)
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IMF Says Its Staff in Lebanon to Discuss Banking Restructuring Strategy

A man sits at the entrance of a money transfer company office in Beirut on November 10, 2026. (AFP)
A man sits at the entrance of a money transfer company office in Beirut on November 10, 2026. (AFP)

The ‌International Monetary Fund has begun a staff mission to discuss the country's strategy for restructuring the banking sector, IMF spokeswoman Julie Kozack said on Thursday, declining to say whether a preliminary agreement was imminent.

Kozack told reporters that the IMF's staff ‌mission in ‌Beirut was under way ‌as ⁠part of a ⁠close discussion with Lebanese authorities to underpin a comprehensive reform program to restore financial stability and support an economic recovery.

She said IMF staff would ⁠communicate at the end ‌of the mission ‌with any relevant updates.

Lebanese media ‌quoted Lebanese Finance Minister Yassine Jaber ‌telling reporters this week that the IMF mission would continue through Friday, adding his hope that ‌a preliminary agreement could be reached this week.

IMF Managing Director ⁠Kristalina ⁠Georgieva last month said there were "intense" discussions under way on support for Lebanon reflecting significant progress towards a loan program.

"We have made significant progress towards the program. We have still a bit more work to do together, and I'm confident we will be successful," she said at the time.

Arab World

Libya's Dbeibah, Erdogan Discuss Bilateral Agreements, Cooperation

Libya's Dbeibah meets Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on the sidelines of the Antalya summit on Thursday (Dbeibah's Office)
Libya's Dbeibah meets Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on the sidelines of the Antalya summit on Thursday (Dbeibah's Office)
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Libya's Dbeibah, Erdogan Discuss Bilateral Agreements, Cooperation

Libya's Dbeibah meets Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on the sidelines of the Antalya summit on Thursday (Dbeibah's Office)
Libya's Dbeibah meets Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on the sidelines of the Antalya summit on Thursday (Dbeibah's Office)

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and Libyan Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah discussed ways to strengthen cooperation and the latest political and security developments in Libya on Thursday on the sidelines of the COP31 World Leaders Climate Summit in the Turkish city of Antalya.

Dbeibah's media office said the meeting covered bilateral relations and prospects for expanding cooperation in various fields, particularly the economy, investment, security and defense, as well as progress in implementing agreements and memorandums of understanding signed by the two countries.

The talks also addressed efforts to support stability and unify Libya's institutions, alongside continued coordination on regional and international issues.

Erdogan reaffirmed Türkiye's continued support for Libya's stability, stressing that "any initiative not embraced by Libyans will have no impact on the ground."

On the sidelines of the climate summit, Dbeibah also met UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to discuss developments in Libya's political process and efforts by the UN mission to support stability.

Dbeibah reaffirmed his government's readiness to continue coordinating with the mission to help it fulfill its mandate, praising UN envoy Hanna Tetteh's efforts to facilitate dialogue and bridge differences among Libyan factions.

He also welcomed the "4+4 agreement" and called for building on its outcomes to end the transitional periods and pave the way for elections.

Representatives of Dbeibah's government and the eastern-based General Command signed the 4+4 agreement on Aug. 30 to break the political deadlock and create conditions for presidential and parliamentary elections within 24 months, through unified institutions and a single executive authority.

Dbeibah's meetings in Antalya on Thursday also included talks with Sudan's Transitional Sovereignty Council Chairman General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, focusing on developments in Sudan, ways to strengthen economic and trade cooperation, facilitate the movement of citizens and coordinate on security and border issues.

Dbeibah reiterated Libya's support for Sudan's unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity, rejecting any attempts to divide the country or undermine its national institutions.

He stressed the need to intensify regional and international efforts to secure a ceasefire and ensure humanitarian aid reaches those affected by the conflict.

Dbeibah attended the summit's opening on Wednesday. The event, hosted by Antalya on Nov. 11-12 under Erdogan's chairmanship, brought together Guterres and around 102 leaders and senior representatives from 95 countries and seven international organizations.

Discussions focused on climate finance, the energy transition and strengthening international cooperation to achieve sustainable development goals.

The meetings come amid renewed momentum in Libyan-Turkish relations after Libya's House of Representatives ratified a maritime memorandum of understanding signed in 2019 between Ankara and Libya's former Government of National Accord.

Contacts and consultations between Libya's rival factions and Turkish officials have intensified recently.

On Wednesday, Turkish Ambassador Guven Begenc met General Salahuddin al-Namroush, chief of the general staff under Dbeibah's interim Government of National Unity, to discuss developing military relations in ways that serve the two countries' mutual interests.

Meanwhile, General Khaled Haftar, chief of the general staff under the eastern-based General Command, arrived in the Turkish capital Ankara on Thursday for an official visit lasting several days.