U.S. State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller has stated that, in its current condition, the Palestinian Authority is incapable of governing the Gaza Strip after Hamas. Miller, during a press briefing in Washington on Wednesday, expressed that the United States believes the Palestinian Authority to be the legitimate representative of the Palestinian people. He further elaborated that, once reformed and empowered, the Authority could unite and manage the Palestinian territories.
In reference to the resistance in Gaza, the U.S. spokesperson stated that the idea cannot be altered by force. Miller continued by emphasizing the need for “neutralizing” Hamas and its future influence, requiring both Israel and the international community to present alternatives after the conflict ends that meet the aspirations of the Palestinian people.
Recently, U.S. officials, including White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, have spoken about the necessity to “rejuvenate” the Palestinian Authority so that it would be capable of governing both Gaza and the West Bank. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu acknowledged differences with Washington regarding what he termed the “post-Hamas phase,” expressing hope for reaching mutual understandings on this issue.
Netanyahu has repeatedly rejected the prospect of the Palestinian Authority taking over the administration of Gaza after the war. On the other hand, Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the political bureau of Hamas, asserted that any arrangements made without Hamas and the resistance in the Gaza Strip would be mere illusions.
