Biden Administration Requests Clarification on Hamas-Fatah Election Partnership

A sign directing to the Palestinian Central Elections Commission in Gaza (Reuters)
A sign directing to the Palestinian Central Elections Commission in Gaza (Reuters)
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Biden Administration Requests Clarification on Hamas-Fatah Election Partnership

A sign directing to the Palestinian Central Elections Commission in Gaza (Reuters)
A sign directing to the Palestinian Central Elections Commission in Gaza (Reuters)

US President Joe Biden’s administration has asked Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas for clarifications on the partnership with Hamas in the upcoming elections, according to a Channel 12 report.

The United States wants reassurances that any future Palestinian government will recognize Israel, renounce violence and uphold agreements and abide by them, the report added.

Neither the US administration nor the Palestinian Authority (PA) commented on the report, yet a well-informed source ruled out in remarks to Asharq Al-Awsat any dispute on the matter.

“Elections will be held under the Palestine Liberation Organization’s (PLO) sponsorship,” the source explained, stressing that the PLO is committed to all the agreements, in accordance to which the government will be formed.

“This is clear to everyone and to all the Palestinian factions. They all agreed not to give Israel any reason to prevent the elections from taking place or incite against the next government.”

The PA has officially resumed contacts with the new US administration.

It had cut relations with former US President Donald Trump’s administration for more than two years due to its recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and the punitive steps against Palestinians.

Contacts with Biden’s administration are carried out through Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Israeli and Palestinian Affairs Hady Amr.

They earlier discussed means to restore Palestinian-US relations, especially the reopening of the PLO’s office in Washington and renewing US financial aid to the PA and the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).

Contact between the PA and new US administration has been expected in light of previous indirect communication through mediators.

The PA is hoping that the Biden administration would rectify the tense relations and advance a new peace process in the region.

On Tuesday, Prime Minister Mohammed Shtayyeh said the upcoming elections are an existential issue that cannot be reversed.

“They pave the way for ending the division and leading to reconciliation,” he explained during a meeting with head of mission of the Office of the Quartet John Clarke in Ramallah.

He affirmed his country’s readiness for a serious political path based on international legitimacy and international law.

Both sides discussed the latest political developments and preparations for the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee (AHLC) meeting, which will be held in New York on Feb. 23.

Clarke said the Quartet is ready to support the elections, accelerate efforts to restore bilateral relations with the US, and implement development projects, especially those targeting the energy and water sectors, with priority given to the Gaza Strip.



Lebanon’s War Losses Double Compared to 2006

Rescuers and aid workers search for survivors at the site of an Israeli airstrike in eastern Lebanon (AFP)
Rescuers and aid workers search for survivors at the site of an Israeli airstrike in eastern Lebanon (AFP)
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Lebanon’s War Losses Double Compared to 2006

Rescuers and aid workers search for survivors at the site of an Israeli airstrike in eastern Lebanon (AFP)
Rescuers and aid workers search for survivors at the site of an Israeli airstrike in eastern Lebanon (AFP)

A comparison of the current human and material losses from the ongoing Hezbollah-Israel conflict with those from the July 2006 war shows that current losses have doubled.

Experts warn that the reconstruction funds and aid pledged to Lebanon 18 years ago may have limited impact once the war ends.

Total Losses

Mohammad Shamseddine, a researcher from Information International, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the death toll has risen from 900 in 2006 to 2,865 in the current conflict (as of October 31, 2024), with the number increasing daily. The number of wounded was 4,000 in 2006, but it has now exceeded 13,047.

In 2006, 600,000 people were displaced, while today that number has surpassed 1.2 million. Of these, 189,174 are in shelters. A total of 358,133 Syrians and 172,604 Lebanese have fled to Syria, and 120,000 have sought refuge in other countries.

Lebanese Economy and Trade Minister Amin Salam estimated that Lebanon’s total economic losses from the current conflict have reached $20 billion. However, economic associations report direct losses between $10 billion and $12 billion, covering damage to key sectors, homes, buildings, and infrastructure.

These figures align with estimates from Shamseddine, who believes direct and indirect losses are around $10 billion.

Of this, $4 billion occurred from October 8, 2023, to September 17, 2024 (when the conflict was mostly limited to the south), and $7 billion from September 17 to October 31, 2024, after Israel expanded the war. For comparison, losses during the 2006 war totaled $5.3 billion.

In 2006, infrastructure damage was valued at $900 million, higher than the current war's $570 million in infrastructure losses.

Housing losses in 2006 totaled $2.2 billion, while they have now surpassed $4.26 billion. Mohammad Shamseddine points out that commercial losses were similar in both conflicts, at $4.7 million.

Agricultural and environmental losses in 2006 were $450 million, but now exceed $900 million. Indirect economic damages were $1.2 billion in 2006, while they have now surpassed $3.38 billion.

One notable difference is the number of airstrikes: from October 8, 2023, to October 31, 2024, there were 11,647, compared to just 3,670 during the 33-day 2006 war.