How will Gulf 'sulha' impact the Palestinians? - analysis

Published date07 January 2021
AuthorKHALED ABU TOAMEH
Date07 January 2021
But Palestinians seemed unsure whether developments in the Gulf were good or bad for the Palestinian issue. While some Palestinians said that Arab unity would strengthen the Palestinians, others speculated that Qatar was now closer to joining the "train of normalization" with Israel.

Meanwhile, many Palestinians expressed hope that their leaders in the West Bank and Gaza Strip would also end the dispute between the Palestinian Authority's ruling Fatah faction and Hamas.

"If the Saudis and Qataris are capable of ending their dispute, why can't Fatah and Hamas stop fighting each other and achieve Palestinian unity?" several Palestinian social media users wondered.

Some Palestinians expressed fear that the reconciliation could pave the way for Qatar to follow suit with other Arab countries and normalize its relations with Israel. Saudi Arabia has supported the normalization agreements between Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Sudan and Morocco.

In private, Hamas officials said that they are worried that Saudi Arabia and its Gulf allies would put pressure on Qatar to halt its financial and political support for Hamas. According to the officials, "losing Qatar is like cutting off oxygen supply to Hamas."

Qatar has long been playing host to several Hamas officials, including Ismail Haniyeh and the group's former leader, Khaled Mashal.

In 2017, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt severed diplomatic relations with Qatar after accusing the emirate of supporting the Muslim Brotherhood and terrorism. Hamas is an offshoot of the Muslim Brotherhood.

The Saudis and their allies had also criticized Qatar and the Qatari-owned Al-Jazeera television network for supporting Iran.

Relations between Saudi Arabia and Hamas have been strained since the arrest of dozens of Hamas members in the kingdom over the past two years. The Saudis, who consider Hamas a terrorist organization, have banned members of the group from raising funds in the kingdom.

The Saudis are also said to be angered by Hamas's close relations with Iran and its Lebanese proxy, Hezbollah.

Recently, Hamas criticized a secret visit to Saudi Arabia by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who reportedly met with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Hamas, in addition, has condemned the Saudi security crackdown on members of the group in the kingdom.

Hamas, whose leaders have publicly welcomed the Saudi-Qatari reconciliation, expressed concern that Qatar may distance itself from the...

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