Palestinian Authority plans key role in post-war Gaza

RAMALLAH: The Palestinian Authority expects a significant role in post-war Gaza, even though US President Donald Trump‘s plan sidelines it for now, and is banking on Arab support to secure its position despite Israeli objections, Palestinian officials say.Hamas seized control of the coastal enclave from Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas in 2007. Trump’s proposal foresees an internationally supervised committee taking over Gaza after the war. It requires the PA, which is based in the West Bank, to enact reforms before it can assume power.An alternative plan drawn up by Saudi Arabia and France had emphasised its role in Gaza. Abbas has declared his commitment to tackling graft, holding polls, and other reforms requested by West, helping to convince many of them to recognise Palestine. Three senior Palestinian officials noted the role PA has played in the enclave since the Hamas takeover, paying salaries to tens of thousands of civil servants and overseeing essential services. “We’re already there,” PM Mohammad Mustafa said. Mustafa, 71, was appointed by Abbas last year as part of a shake-up of the PA after then-president Joe Biden said he wanted to see a revitalised PA take charge in Gaza. Reuters