Visions differ on the future of Gaza administration and reconstruction, as Egypt and donor countries insist on independent management of funds under international supervision, while Abbas insists on full control of the authority. In contrast, Cairo seeks alternative arrangements that include a major role for it and pressure on Hamas to make concessions.

Egypt's vision on the administration of the Gaza Strip and its reconstruction differs radically from that of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, as Cairo and donor countries refuse to grant the Palestinian Authority direct control over the funds allocated for reconstruction, which Abbas insists on considering it part of imposing the authority's sovereignty over the Strip.

The newspaper "Al-Araby Al-Jadeed" indicated, in a report published today, Sunday, that international donors are showing clear reservations about the Palestinian Authority's proposal, fearing the misuse of funds or turning them into a tool to enhance division and political polarization, especially in light of previous accusations of weak transparency and financial oversight within the Palestinian Authority.

In addition to financial issues, Cairo believes that the Palestinian Authority does not have the administrative capacity and human resources sufficient to manage Gaza, especially after its absence from the Strip since 2007, with Hamas controlling the joints of government there. In light of this reality, Egypt believes that returning authority to Gaza requires an effective administrative apparatus capable of dealing with the field conditions, which the Authority currently lacks, prompting Cairo to search for more realistic options than those proposed by Abbas.

The Egyptian vision: International administration under Egyptian supervision

Meanwhile, Egypt is working on developing a different vision for managing Gaza based on its primary role in supervision, with the participation of international donor agencies to ensure transparency in the management of reconstruction funds. According to this vision, infrastructure and reconstruction projects will be implemented through a technical committee under Egyptian supervision, with international oversight to ensure their implementation according to specific development plans.

The vision also includes selecting local cadres to manage the various sectors in Gaza, after subjecting them to a careful security review that includes coordination with Israel to ensure that individuals who are not wanted for security reasons are not included in the new administrative structure.

In addition, according to the report, Cairo seeks to convince the United States that the optimal solution for managing Gaza cannot be simply to restore the Palestinian Authority in its traditional form, but rather requires new arrangements that take into account the political and field realities within the Strip.

Egyptian pressure on Hamas and new security arrangements

Egypt is working to exert pressure on Hamas to accept concessions, especially with regard to its weapons, in addition to arranging to hand over the land crossings to a neutral party under international supervision, in order to ensure that previous stumbling scenarios in attempts to arrange the situation within the Strip are not repeated.

However, the main obstacle facing these arrangements lies in Abbas’s rejection of any vision that does not give the Authority full control over Gaza, in addition to the opposition of the Palestinian factions, especially Hamas, to any plan that does not give it political or military influence within the Strip.

Abbas’s vision: Restoring Gaza under the Authority’s control

For his part, Abbas seeks to restore the Palestinian Authority’s control over Gaza according to the model in effect in the West Bank, in confirmation of the unity of the Palestinian land under a unified political and legal jurisdiction. His plan includes the necessity of a complete Israeli withdrawal from the Strip, and the Palestinian Authority handing over all crossings, including the Kerem Shalom and Rafah crossings, to be operated in cooperation with Egypt and the European Union according to previous agreements.

The Palestinian government has also prepared a reconstruction plan that ensures the residents remain in the Strip, in coordination with Cairo and international bodies, such as the World Bank, the United Nations, and the European Union. This plan is scheduled to be presented to the extraordinary Arab Summit in Cairo on March 4 for official approval.

Palestinian efforts to organize an international reconstruction conference

In parallel, the Palestinian Authority is working with Egypt and the United Nations to organize an international conference to rebuild Gaza, with the participation of donor countries, within the framework of an international trust fund in cooperation with the World Bank. The Authority also stresses the need to support UNRWA, as the primary body providing humanitarian services in the Strip.

Hamas's position and obstacles facing Egyptian proposals

In light of these differences, the Vice President of the Arab Center for Political and Strategic Studies, Mukhtar Al-Ghabashi, wonders whether Hamas will accept giving up its control over Gaza, noting that "the scene of the prisoner exchange between the movement and Israel highlights the extent of Hamas's strength in imposing its presence inside the Strip, supported by broad popular support."

Al-Ghabashi believes that these facts strengthen Hamas' position in the ongoing negotiations, but at the same time they pose problems for the Egyptian plan that aims to reshape the administration of Gaza according to a new vision.

Source: Arab48