Israeli foreign minister campaigns against proposal for Palestinian Authority to rule in Gaza

Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz launched an international campaign against the proposal to let the Palestinian Authority (PA) assume responsibility in the Gaza Strip after the war.

In a video posted on Thursday, Katz documented that the presumably “moderate” PA systematically teaches Arab children to hate Israel and Jews and to embrace terrorism.

The video clip featured several prominent PA officials who praised the Hamas Oct. 7 invasion and massacre of 1,200 Israelis. Jamal al Hawil, a PA council member articulated support for a similar terror attack in Judea and Samaria, "In god's will, we may see such bravery (massacre) in the West Bank," al Hawil said.

"We thank the Al-Qassam Brigades who planned and executed (the massacre)," stated Abbas Zaki, a senior PA member.

The Palestinian Authority cannot rule Gaza pic.twitter.com/MJO7TljIN1

— ישראל כ”ץ Israel Katz (@Israel_katz) June 13, 2024

Katz’s campaign video ended with the message that the PA must not be permitted to rule the Gaza Strip after the war.

"The PA is corrupt and lacks legitimacy among the Palestinian people. They educate Palestinian children to hate Israel and glorify 'martyrdom.' Their leaders deny the October 7th massacre and express support for Hamas' actions," the Israeli Foreign Ministry stated.

"We cannot allow the PA to control Gaza on the day after the war," a senior foreign ministry official stated on Thursday. "The future of Gaza and the region depends on making the right decisions now."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been firmly opposed to permitting the Fatah party, which controls the PA, to govern the Gaza Strip after the war.

“Gaza will be neither Hamastan nor Fatahstan,” he vowed in December.

“After the great sacrifice of our civilians and our soldiers, I will not allow the entry into Gaza of those who educate for terrorism, support terrorism and finance terrorism,” Netanyahu emphasized, referring to the PA’s pay-for-slay policy that rewards murder of Israeli Jews.

The Biden administration has largely supported Israel's right to self-defense against Hamas and the White House and Jerusalem appear to agree that Hamas must be excluded from any future peace settlement in the Middle East.

However, like much of the international community, Washington supports the implementation of the two-state solution through mutually agreed negotiations between the two sides and insists the PA be part of a post-war Gaza settlement.

In February, U.S. National Security Council Spokesman John Kirby reiterated Washington’s position.

“The Palestinian people should have a voice and a vote… through a revitalized Palestinian Authority,” he said, despite the PA's ongoing incitement against Israel and its support for terrorism against Jews.

Netanyahu has been largely evasive about his vision for a post-war Gaza, largely due to political opposition from his far-right coalition partners who are firmly opposed to the two-state solution formula.

In February, he indicated that he prefers “local officials” with no links to terror organizations to govern the Gaza Strip the “day after” the war with Hamas.

In a one-page document, the prime minister stressed that officials in Gaza who have “administrative experience” and have no connection to “countries or entities that support terrorism” should manage Gaza after the war.