By Tom Perry and Ali Sawafta
RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) -A nephew of late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat has returned to the West Bank after four years of self-exile, outlining a roadmap to secure peace in Gaza with Hamas transforming into a political party and declaring his readiness to help govern.
Nasser al-Qudwa, a prominent critic of the current Palestinian leadership, also urged “a serious confrontation of corruption in this country”. He said President Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah Movement needed deep reform and must do more to counter Jewish settler violence in the Israeli-occupied West Bank.
“The first duty … is to regain confidence of the street – something that we lost – and we have to be brave enough and say that we don’t have it anymore, and without it, frankly, it’s useless,” Qudwa told Reuters in an interview.
Qudwa left the West Bank in 2021 after he was expelled from Fatah, the movement founded by his uncle, over his decision to field his own list in elections, defying Abbas who cancelled the vote.
Abbas, 89, readmitted Qudwa to Fatah last week, after offering an amnesty for expelled members.
PA PRESSES FOR A ROLE IN GAZA
His return coincides with renewed pressure on Abbas to enact long-delayed reforms in the Palestinian Authority as it presses for a role in Gaza, lost to Hamas in 2007, despite Israeli objections and being sidelined in President Donald Trump’s plan.
Gaza’s future governance has moved into focus as Trump has declared the war over. The next phase must tackle demands that Hamas disarm and end its rule in Gaza, from where it launched the October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel that ignited the war.
Although light on detail, Trump’s proposal foresees an internationally supervised technocratic Palestinian committee running Gaza, and the deployment of an international force that would support a new Palestinian police.
Depending on how Trump’s plans evolve, Palestinian analysts say Qudwa could have a role, citing his ties to Arab states, his contacts with Hamas, standing as Arafat’s nephew and his Gazan origins: he was born in Khan Younis.
“If I’m needed, I’m not going to hesitate,” Qudwa, 72, said.
URGES HAMAS TRANSFORMATION
Qudwa’s ideas hinge on Hamas committing to ending both administrative and security control over Gaza and putting its weapons under the control of a new governing body. Hamas has said it is willing to play no role in government, but has rejected disarmament.
In return, “the door should be open for them for a political transformation towards a political party”, Qudwa said.
He said existing PA assets in Gaza should be used in a new police force, and that Gaza’s current police could be vetted and used as well.
Hamas should be given assurances.
“Hamas needs to understand that nobody is coming after them, that some of these employees will be given another opportunity, that they will not be assassinated, that there will be an opportunity for them to participate in the political life.”
He said a Palestinian “council of commissioners” could run Gaza. While Abbas could appoint its head, keeping a link between the West Bank and Gaza, Qudwa said he was not suggesting the “return of the (Palestinian) Authority as is to govern Gaza”.
He said that international supervision would be “fine”, but Gaza must be run by Palestinians and they must be able to hold elections, last held in 2006.
Qudwa declined to give details of the corruption that he referred to, but said he was “astonished” at how it had spread. The PA is widely seen as corrupt among Palestinians, opinion polls show.
Political analyst Hani al-Masri said Qudwa could have a role in Gaza but Palestinian factions must first agree on a way forward. “No person alone can play a successful role without consensus,” he said.
“The challenges are great. The most important is Israel, which does not want the PA to return to Gaza.”
(Writing by Tom PerryEditing by Ros Russell)
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