Hamas spokesperson Osama Hamdan speaks during a rally organized by Lebanon's militant Hezbollah group to express solidarity with the Palestinian people, may 17, 2021. (photo: Haitham Moussawi/apa images)

Read the full opinion at Mondoweiss

While the U.S. and other Western governments are discussing the prospect of installing an alternative administration over the Gaza Strip in the aftermath of the current Israeli assault, possibly with the Palestinian Authority at its helm, Hamas is now launching its own alternative vision regarding Gaza's postwar reality.

This vision includes holding democratic Palestinian elections the day after the war and was shared in a wide-ranging interview with Osama Hamdan, the senior representative of Hamas in Lebanon. Speaking to Mondoweiss, Hamdan emphasized the importance of Palestinian self-determination in the aftermath of the current assault on Gaza, in addition to several other topics, including Hamas's demands before reentering negotiations on a prisoner exchange, the resistance group's motivation for Operation "Al Aqsa Flood," and how regional politics have been reshaped in the wake of the October 7 attack.

Democratic elections for Palestinian leadership

Following the fighting in Gaza, Hamdan says that efforts must be made to "rebuild the internal Palestinian house."

"Given the sacrifices of the Palestinian people, they deserve a leadership committed to resistance and the ultimate goal of liberating Palestine and returning the refugees," Hamdan told Mondoweiss. "With a variety of tools at our disposal, the ideal scenario involves one in which the Palestinian people elect their own leaders. We trust our people to consistently choose resistance. The ideal next-day scenario for Hamas is a national Palestinian election."

This call for democratic elections marks the first clear statement calling for an intra-Palestinian political process since the start of the war, calling for the breakup of the status quo of indefinite rule by a single party.

"Every party aspiring to lead must be held accountable," Hamdan continued. "If they are successful, they will be validated by the people's vote; if they fail, they will face judgment at the polls. It is not certain that Hamas will always win. The election of any party by the people, in a fair and democratic process, should be respected by all as the will of the Palestinian people."

For years, Israel has asserted that the lack of a unified and legitimate Palestinian leadership has been a major barrier to reaching a political solution — meaning that Israel has always had a vested interest in perpetuating Palestinian disunity. In this way, Hamas's proposal can be seen as a way of putting political pressure on Israel while asserting Hamas's continued political presence in the Palestinian arena.

"The prospect for Palestinian unity is now promising," Hamdan said. "First, the resistance is actively confronting the occupation, reinforcing the idea that resistance is the sole viable solution. Meanwhile, the occupation disregards the PA, treating it as non-existent, and is directly engaged in Gaza. Thus, all parties are in conflict with the occupation, providing common ground for unity."

"Second, the sacrifices made by the Palestinian people place a duty on everyone," Hamdan continued. "Those lacking national responsibility will overlook this bloodshed, but those with national interests will acknowledge these massacres and work to end Palestinian division. Third, the strategy of supporting Israel to dominate Palestinians' realities is losing ground. Currently, there's a shift in discourse towards a Palestinian state, albeit on a portion of our historical land, which we believe wholly belongs to us."

Most notable in Hamdan's position is the emphasis on the need for a Palestinian state on a portion of historic Palestine, even if it does not mean the total liberation of all of Palestine. Yet his political rhetoric seems to reflect a willingness to accept such a political entity, whether within the framework of a long-term truce or as a temporary arrangement.

"Achieving this requires Palestinian unity, an opportunity we must grasp to resolve our division. We firmly believe this is a genuine chance for unity. We hope those who long favored compromise will now adopt this logic."

However, Hamdan also emphasized that "we don't discuss [the issue of] unity with the PA, but with the broader Palestinian political forces and factions. The PA is an institution that emerged under specific conditions, distinct from the factions that represent segments of the Palestinian populace. It's undeniable that every active Palestinian faction has its supporters; otherwise, it would have vanished from our political landscape."

In doing so, Hamdan recognized the political legitimacy of the ruling Fatah party in the West Bank, as well as the other Palestinian political factions and forces....

Read the full opinion at Mondoweiss