FLASH
Shkruar nga Gian Micalessin
Former Nablus Stock Exchange President, Favored by Israel and the US, Should Lead Post-War Transition
They have been discussing it for more than a year and a half. But the mountain is in danger of giving birth to a mouse. Of course, the name of Samir Hulileh, a Palestinian entrepreneur and businessman, is known to everyone. From the leaders of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) to those of the Arab League, from Israel and the United States to Hamas, no one seems willing to question his appointment as governor of Gaza.
But perhaps this is precisely what should cast doubt on the ability of this businessman, president of the Nablus Stock Exchange until last March, to transform himself into a true "rais" capable of wresting the Strip from Hamas control and transforming it into the embryo of a new Palestinian state. Despite having served as Secretary-General of the third government of the Palestinian National Authority, led at the time by the late Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei, between 2005 and 2006, Halilah has left no tangible trace of his tenure.
As a businessman raised in the West Bank, a land of trade between Palestinians and Israelis, he has undoubtedly made flexibility his strongest asset. Yet one wonders whether he has also acquired the authority and charisma necessary to assert himself in Gaza, where two decades of fundamentalist rule and three years of war, death and despair have marked the hearts and minds of the population.
However, his candidacy for governor of a trust strip under the tutelage of the Arab League and the Palestinian National Authority after the end of the Israeli occupation was revealed by the Palestinian news agency Ma'an and the Israeli website Y'net.
The latter, citing "documents filed with the Department of Justice," explains that the former president of the Nablus Stock Exchange, favored by Israel and the US, is to lead the post-war transition. Ma'an reports an interview with Hulileh himself, in which the governor-elect explains that his appointment, "discussed within the Palestinian leadership and on the table for a year and a half," has been "accepted by Hamas."
Ma'an notes that the appointment is part of "the details of an agreement currently being finalized, which includes the cessation of hostilities and the withdrawal of the Israeli army." The agreement also provides for "the entry of Arab forces under American supervision." In this context, the governor would be responsible for "managing civil affairs, ensuring security, and overseeing the reconstruction process."
All this with a perspective for the very near future. Currently, the Israeli offensive is expected to eliminate the last Hamas positions around Gaza City. However, uncertainty and divisions reign within the Israeli camp. The army has not yet launched a tactical plan for the evacuation of civilians around Gaza City, nor one for the withdrawal of reservists.
Amidst all this, Defense Minister Israel Katz is at odds with Chief of General Staff General Eyal Zamir, who is skeptical about the advisability of retaking Gaza. Katz refuses to approve the appointments of generals, carefully selected by Zamir, to lead operations in the Strip. According to the minister, the appointments were not coordinated with him and violate protocol. / Adapted from Il Giornale /
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