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Abbas, Fatah Central Committee Member Qudwa Hold Reconciliation Meeting

Supporters of PA President Mahmoud Abbas during a rally in Tubas, Sept. 27, 2020. (AP)
Supporters of PA President Mahmoud Abbas during a rally in Tubas, Sept. 27, 2020. (AP)
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Abbas, Fatah Central Committee Member Qudwa Hold Reconciliation Meeting

Supporters of PA President Mahmoud Abbas during a rally in Tubas, Sept. 27, 2020. (AP)
Supporters of PA President Mahmoud Abbas during a rally in Tubas, Sept. 27, 2020. (AP)

A reconciliation meeting was held between Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Fatah Central Committee member Nasser al-Qudwa, confirmed head of Fatah’s Information Department in the Office of Mobilization and Organization Munir al-Jaghoub on Saturday.

Qudwa, who is also a nephew of former Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) chairman Yasser Arafat, met with Abbas in the presence of a number of members of the Committee, al-Jaghoub said in an official announcement.

The two men, according to al-Jaghoub, agreed on the importance of maintaining unity among the ranks of the Fatah movement, which is also led by Abbas.

“They agreed on unity and commitment to the movement’s decisions,” he said.

Qudwa boycotted a meeting of the Committee, headed by Abbas, amid reports that he was studying the possibility of forming his own list or supporting an unofficial Fatah list in upcoming elections.

Over the last few years, tensions have grown between Abbas and Qudwa, especially after the latter attempted to resign in 2018.

Qudwa’s resignation was turned down and a settlement was reached to keep him in the party.

Abbas and Qudwa have several disagreements concerning Palestinian politics in general and Fatah in particular.

Qudwa, in a virtual seminar held on Thursday, called for a comprehensive overhaul of the Palestinian political system, noting that it was “beyond repair.”

He urged finding a real solution based on the needs of Palestinians and confronting Israeli occupation.

Calling the current political framework unproductive, he blamed internal fighting and worsening relations with Arab states for the dismay of Palestinians today.

“The central goal is to achieve national independence,” Qudwa stressed when addressing the obstacles facing a two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.

Separately, he described the recent understanding between Fatah and Hamas regarding upcoming elections as “a deal to preserve some individual interests at the expense of national interests.”

He vocally rejected this understanding and noted that he refuses to go to elections on a joint list with Hamas.

The parliamentary elections are set for May 22, while presidential polls are scheduled for July 31.

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Arab World

Northern Gaza Residents: Stuck in Open Air Living

Gazan families receive no more than 50 liters of water daily in Beit Lahia Camp (AP)
Gazan families receive no more than 50 liters of water daily in Beit Lahia Camp (AP)
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Northern Gaza Residents: Stuck in Open Air Living

Gazan families receive no more than 50 liters of water daily in Beit Lahia Camp (AP)
Gazan families receive no more than 50 liters of water daily in Beit Lahia Camp (AP)

The return of Palestinian refugees from southern Gaza to the north has been difficult, especially due to the extensive damage to homes and infrastructure in the area. Many residents, who had hoped for better conditions than life in tents, have found little relief.

After months of living in tents during the Israeli conflict, they returned to the north only to find few homes available, with some even unable to find space to set up their tents.

The return of nearly 800,000 displaced people to northern Gaza has created significant challenges for the Hamas-led Gaza government. The situation has revealed unexpected difficulties, particularly as Israel has not yet kept its promise to deliver much-needed relief supplies, such as tents and caravans.

The sight of massive destruction has overshadowed the living conditions in Jabalia Camp and the towns of Beit Lahia and Beit Hanoun for many returning residents.

This has forced local authorities, according to sources speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, to expand bulldozing efforts in several key areas, increasing the space available for tents to shelter residents.

However, the task has been complicated by the difficulty of acquiring the necessary equipment to clear rubble and debris.

Mohammed Abu Obeid, a resident of Jabalia Camp, told Asharq Al-Awsat that the situation worsened when authorities were unable to provide sufficient water for residents.

This has led people to rely on water deliveries via trucks, which transport large amounts from Gaza City to the camp. The goal is to provide each family with approximately 50 liters of water daily, but Abu Obeid noted that this amount is hardly enough.

Abu Obeid pointed out that residents are unable to find any nearby power sources. As night falls, they are forced to remain in their tents or, for those who still have homes or managed to salvage a room from heavily damaged buildings, stay there with their families.

“We didn’t expect life to be this grim, this full of hell,” he remarked.

Suhad Abu Hussein, a resident of the camp, shared that she spent her first night back in northern Gaza sleeping in the open.

She waited until the second day, when technical teams managed to clear a small portion of rubble which allowed them to begin setting up available tents.

Hussein explained that she is currently living in a tent just three meters in size. However, she faces significant challenges due to the lack of water and any power source, leaving residents in complete darkness without even basic street lighting.

Gaza’s municipality has warned that the lack of services will make life even harder for displaced people returning to their areas.

They explained that the water supply only covers 40% of the city, and the water available doesn’t meet the residents’ needs due to damage to water networks. More than 75% of the city's central wells have been destroyed.

The municipality stressed that it cannot provide even basic services to the displaced without heavy machinery. It urgently needs equipment to repair wells and sewage networks. Despite limited resources, efforts continue to clear streets and remove rubble to help the displaced return and allow residents to move around.

Israel has blocked the entry of heavy machinery, tents, caravans, and other supplies. Hamas has been in talks with mediators to address these restrictions.

Ahmed Al-Asi, a young man from Beit Lahia, affirmed to Asharq Al-Awsat there are no bakeries in his town or in Jabalia Camp.

He has to travel more than 6 kilometers to Gaza City’s Nasr neighborhood every day to buy bread for his family of 18, spending about 40 shekels ($12) daily.