US President Donald Trump said on Friday that his plan to rebuild the Gaza Strip was "successful", but he would not impose it, indicating that he would only make recommendations.

“The plan is really working, but I’m not going to impose it,” Trump said in an interview with Fox News Radio. “I’m going to sit down and recommend it, and then the United States will be in charge of the site.” Trump said he was surprised that Jordan and Egypt rejected the reconstruction plan, despite the American aid the two countries receive, adding: “We pay billions of dollars a year to Jordan and Egypt. I was a little surprised that they didn’t accept my plan.”

The US President stressed that his plan does not include Hamas, noting that the goal is to develop and completely rebuild the Strip: "There will be no Hamas, Gaza will be developed, and then we will start again in a clean place."

Trump suggested that Gazans might prefer to live in a developed and stable environment, saying: "If the people of Gaza were given a choice between that and living in a beautiful society, I think I know which choice they would make."

The Bebas family on Friday accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of "abandoning" their family members during the October 7, 2023 attack and failing to return them safely to their families.

"We will not forgive abandoning them on October 7, and we will not forgive abandoning them in captivity. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, we did not receive an apology from you at this painful moment," Ofri Bibas said in a statement on behalf of the family.

She stressed that the family is awaiting the "fate" of Sherry, her brother's wife, and "is not seeking revenge at the present time."

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday that Israel would make Hamas pay the price for not handing over Sheri Bibas' body as agreed.

"We will act with determination to bring Sheri home with all our hostages, living and dead, and ensure that Hamas pays the full price for this cruel and vicious violation of the agreement," he added in a video statement.

The statement came after Israeli experts said that one of the four bodies handed over by Hamas on Thursday was that of an unidentified woman and not that of Sheri Bibas, whose sons Kfir and Ariel were handed over and whose identities were confirmed.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Tulkarm camp in the northern West Bank on Friday.

Netanyahu said in a video posted on his account on the "X" platform: "I ordered the launch of an additional military operation in the West Bank in response to the series of explosions on buses yesterday, and we have greatly intensified our operations and are entering the strongholds of "terrorism" and razing entire streets to the ground."

"Before Saturday, I came to the refugee camp in Tulkarm to be with our heroic soldiers. They are doing great work. In the past year, we have greatly increased our activity: we have entered terrorist strongholds, we have leveled entire streets used by terrorists, their homes, we have eliminated terrorists and leaders," he continued.

“We are doing very important work against the plans of Hamas and other terrorist elements to harm us. And these plans have not stopped. What we saw yesterday – the attempt to carry out mass serial attacks – is very serious,” Netanyahu said. “In response, and on my instructions and the instructions of the defense minister, we increased the forces in the West Bank, and I also ordered another military operation against terrorist centers. I know that our heroic soldiers know how to do this job well.”

On Thursday, Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yisrael Katz vowed to launch larger military operations in the occupied West Bank, following the bus bombings that took place in Tel Aviv on Thursday night.

The Prime Minister's Office said Netanyahu had ordered the army to carry out an intensive operation in the West Bank against what he called "terror hotbeds." Explosions occurred on Thursday evening, with three explosive devices detonating on buses in the city of Bat Yam, while another device was found in Holon before it exploded. No injuries were reported.

Israeli media reported that an explosive device was found at the scene with the words "Revenge for Tulkarm camp" written on it. However, the message written on the device could not be clearly verified.

A child was killed by Israeli occupation forces today, Friday, in the city of Jenin.

The Ministry of Health said that the child, Rimas Al-Amouri (13 years old), was killed after being critically wounded by the occupation forces’ bullets in the abdomen and out of the back. She was then transferred to Jenin Governmental Hospital, before her death was announced.

With the death of the child Al-Amouri, the number of dead in Jenin Governorate rises to 27, as the occupation's aggression against it enters its second month.

In Hebron, a 13-year-old child died of his wounds after being shot by the Israeli occupation forces, today, Friday, in the city of Hebron.

Local sources reported that the occupation forces fired live bullets at the child Ayman Nassar Al-Haimouni (13 years old), while he was visiting his relatives in the Jabal Jawhar area south of Hebron, which resulted in him being injured in the chest. He was transferred by Red Crescent crews to the Muhammad Ali Al-Muhtaseb Hospital, where his death was announced.

Today, Friday, the Israeli occupation forces arrested a young man while he was herding his livestock in the northern Jordan Valley.

Local sources reported that the occupation forces arrested the young man, Hussein Yousef Basharat, while he was herding his livestock near his father’s tents in Khallet Makhul in the northern Jordan Valley.

Today, Friday, settlers burned an agricultural room and attacked citizens' property in the village of Kafr Qaddum, east of Qalqilya.

Local sources reported that settlers burned an agricultural room in the northern part of the village, near the "Qedumim" settlement outpost, belonging to citizen Aqaba Obeid. They also attacked agricultural land planted with olive trees and tampered with equipment belonging to citizen Musa Obeid.

In Hebron, settlers burned a vehicle today, Friday, and attacked citizens’ property, and wrote racist anti-Arab slogans east of Yatta.

According to local sources, settlers infiltrated the home of Majed Al-Dabbaseh on Friday night in the Abu Shaban area, east of Yatta, burned his vehicle and wrote inflammatory and racist slogans against Palestinians and Arabs.

The Prisoners' Information Office announced today, Friday, that 602 Palestinian prisoners are scheduled to be released tomorrow, Saturday, as part of the prisoner exchange agreement, while the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Israel has officially received a list of its prisoners who will be released on the same day.

This comes shortly after Hamas confirmed that it had received from mediators the occupation’s allegations regarding a body that Israel said was not that of a hostage it was supposed to receive among the bodies of the four dead Israelis who were handed over yesterday, Thursday. It also indicated that it would seriously examine the matter and announce the results.

The spokesman for the Qassam Brigades, Abu Obeida, confirmed that the Qassam Brigades will release 6 prisoners tomorrow, Saturday, and announced their identities.

The Prisoners' Media Office said, "After the Palestinian resistance hands over the names of the Zionist prisoners, 50 prisoners sentenced to life imprisonment and 60 prisoners with long sentences will be released tomorrow, Saturday, as part of the first phase of the exchange deal."

He added that "47 Wafaa al-Ahrar prisoners who were re-arrested, and 445 prisoners from the Gaza Strip who were arrested after October 7, will also be released."

Netanyahu's office said that "Israel received a list of the names of the hostages who are scheduled to be released tomorrow as part of the agreement," noting that their families had been informed of this.

Yesterday, Thursday, the Palestinian factions handed over to Israel the bodies of four of what they said were Israeli detainees, in exchange for the release of about 50 Palestinian prisoners. Palestinian resistance elements were deployed in the town of Bani Suhaila, east of Khan Yunis, during the handing over of the bodies of the detainees.

Commenting on the handover of the bodies of the Israeli prisoners, Hamas stressed that the prisoner exchange is the only way to return the Israeli detainees to their families alive, and that any attempt to retrieve them by military force or return to war will only result in more losses among the prisoners.

Hamas said it was prepared to release all hostages still being held in the Gaza Strip "in one go," not in successive batches, during the second phase of the truce agreement, which is supposed to begin on March 2.

Citizens suffered from suffocation on Friday after inhaling toxic gas fired by the Israeli occupation forces during their raid on the village of Tal, southwest of Nablus, and the town of Beita and the village of Qaryut, south of Nablus.

Local sources reported that the occupation forces fired live bullets, sound bombs and tear gas during their raid on Beita, Qaryut and Tal, which led to a number of citizens suffering from suffocation, and they were treated in the field.

The International Court of Justice last night authorized the African Union, at its request, to participate in advisory proceedings on Israel's obligations regarding attendance at activities of the United Nations, other international organizations and third States in the occupied Palestinian territory.

According to a statement from the Court, and based on Article (66) of the Statute of the Court, the Acting President of the Court, Judge Julia Sebutinde, decided that the African Union is likely to be able to provide information on the question submitted to the Court by the General Assembly and therefore “the African Union may submit a written statement on this matter within the time limit set by the President’s order, i.e. by 28 February.”

On 19 December 2017, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution requesting an advisory opinion from the International Court of Justice on the following question: What are the obligations of Israel, as the occupying Power and a Member of the United Nations, with regard to the presence and activities of the United Nations, including its agencies and bodies, other international organizations and third States, in and in relation to the Occupied Palestinian Territory, for the purposes, inter alia, of ensuring and facilitating the delivery of supplies essential to the survival of the Palestinian civilian population, basic services, humanitarian and development assistance, for the benefit of the Palestinian civilian population and in support of the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination?

The decision came after the Israeli Knesset issued decisions that hindered the work of UNRWA in Palestine, especially in occupied Jerusalem.

It is noteworthy that the court had also authorized the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the League of Arab States to participate in the advisory procedures.

A female citizen was killed today, Friday, by Israeli occupation forces’ bullets in the Al-Janina neighborhood, east of Rafah city, south of the Gaza Strip.

Local sources reported that the occupation forces fired live bullets at citizens in the Al-Janina neighborhood, which led to the death of a female citizen.

It added that the occupation military vehicles opened fire with their machine guns east and northeast of Al-Bureij camp, and east of Al-Shuja'iyya neighborhood east of Gaza City.

Since October 7, 2023, the Israeli occupation has launched a war of genocide on the Gaza Strip, resulting in the martyrdom of 48,319 citizens, the majority of whom are children and women, and the injury of 111,749 others, in an incomplete toll, as a number of victims are still under the rubble, and ambulance and civil defense crews cannot reach them.

It is noteworthy that the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip entered into force on January 19, and since it came into effect, a number of citizens have been killed and injured in various parts of the Strip.

The government media office in Gaza denied on Friday that mobile homes had entered the Strip for the purpose of shelter, and stressed that a very limited number of them had entered and were allocated to international institutions or field hospitals.

"No mobile homes (caravans) were brought in for shelter at all," said Ismail Thawabta, director general of the government media office, in a statement.

He added, "The number of caravans entering is very limited and is allocated to international institutions or field hospitals, as was previously the case for the Red Crescent Society's field hospital a few days ago."

In this context, Rafah Mayor Ahmed Al-Sufi said that Israel allowed 15 mobile homes to enter the Strip on Thursday through the Rafah land crossing, where they were directed to international and UN institutions to use them as headquarters.

Al-Sufi called on the countries sponsoring and guarantor of the ceasefire agreement to exert pressure on the Israeli occupation to allow the entry of mobile homes, tents and reconstruction materials to shelter the Palestinians.

"We need to open the Rafah crossing around the clock and bring in hundreds of thousands of temporary housing units and building materials, as well as allow specialized companies to enter to start the rubble removal and recycling operations," he said.

Al-Sufi pointed out that delaying the reconstruction process exacerbates the suffering of the Palestinians in Gaza, noting that the reconstruction process must begin immediately by providing suitable housing for those affected, and bringing in the equipment and companies necessary to remove the rubble and rebuild vital facilities.

On January 19, the first phase of the ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement began, divided into three phases, each lasting 42 days, with the condition that the next phase be negotiated before the current phase is completed.

According to the government media office in the Gaza Strip, nearly 1.5 million people have become homeless after their homes were destroyed, while all 2.4 million residents of the Strip suffer from the lack of the most basic life services and the absence of infrastructure.

Israel is refusing to allow the entry of necessary humanitarian aid into the Strip, especially 200,000 tents and 60,000 mobile homes (caravans) to provide urgent shelter for the affected Palestinians, thus violating the ceasefire agreement, according to the government office.

More than once, Hamas has asked mediators to pressure Israel to allow the entry of mobile homes and heavy equipment needed to remove the rubble and recover the bodies of Palestinian martyrs.

Today, Friday, the Israeli occupation continues its aggression on the city of Jenin and its camp for the 32nd consecutive day, leaving 26 martyrs and dozens of injuries.

Local sources reported that the occupation forces are still besieging Jenin Governmental Hospital, where dozens of military vehicles are stationed around the hospital and Al-Amal Hospital, checking citizens’ identities and interrogating them as they move around the area.

The city's hospitals are suffering from a severe water shortage, after the occupation targeted and destroyed water lines, with nearly 35% of the city's residents suffering from a lack of water.

It added that the occupation forces have been using buildings near Jenin camp as military barracks since the beginning of the first days of the aggression.

The occupation also sent military reinforcements accompanied by a bulldozer to the Al-Basatin neighborhood in the city of Jenin, after bringing in fuel tanks, water tanks, and small fortified rooms used for internal military communications for soldiers.

It pointed out that according to current data, the Israeli occupation forced about 3,000 families from Jenin camp to be forcibly displaced from their homes, and completely demolished more than 120 homes, amid widespread destruction of the infrastructure.

In a related context, the occupation forces arrested a child from the town of Yamoun, while he was outside his home, and last night they stormed the town of Ya'bad in the south, without any arrests being reported.

The unprecedented Israeli occupation aggression on the city and camp of Jenin left 26 dead and dozens of injuries.

The Israeli occupation army launched an air attack tonight, targeting sites between Syria and Lebanon.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said that the occupation warplanes bombed the crossings between Syria and Lebanon, in Wadi Khaled and the western countryside of Homs.

This comes within the framework of the ongoing Israeli attacks on sites in Syria, and the occupation's continued violation of the ceasefire in Lebanon.

Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy, said Thursday that he and Jared Kushner, the president's son-in-law, are discussing bringing together real estate executives to come up with a plan to rebuild Gaza.

“We’re talking about bringing people together from all over the world, master planners, developers, architects, talking about ideas and so on,” Witkoff said on stage in conversation with Kushner at the F11 II Priority conference in Miami, a gathering of business executives sponsored by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund.

Earlier this month, Trump said that “the United States will take over the Gaza Strip” and turn it into the “Riviera of the Middle East.” Trump said that Gazans could be transferred to neighboring Arab countries and that they should leave Gaza and never return. Most of the world has rejected Trump’s idea, and his comments have drawn condemnation from the Middle East and Europe, which have said that the displacement of Palestinians from Gaza amounts to ethnic cleansing and is illegal under international law.

According to the Wall Street Journal, citing a person familiar with the matter, Witkoff has been working on a possible plan for a White House summit that would bring together real estate developers and other business leaders to jump-start reconstruction efforts in Gaza. The plan for such a summit is still in its early stages, and would be the first effort to answer some of the biggest outstanding questions, such as where construction will begin and how the debris will be cleared with more than 2 million Palestinians living in the territory.

The summit will include a public display, possibly with large cranes and other flashy pieces of equipment, the person said. Companies will likely be asked how to handle logistical, technical and explosive issues, including how to detect bombs, deal with underground tunnels used by Hamas fighters and deal with people who don’t want to leave the area.

From the stage at the conference, Witkoff repeated the idea that Gaza is not a suitable place to live.

"You have to see the destruction that's happening there today in Gaza. There are 30,000 unexploded shells everywhere there. The conditions are horrific, I don't know why anyone would want to live there today. It doesn't make sense to me," he said.

Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law in the past, has called the Gaza waterfront property “very valuable” and said the best approach would be to “get people out and then clean it up.” Kushner has previously said he will not be involved in any Trump administration policymaking. He has said he continues to advise the Trump team from his private sector position.

During their conversation, Witkoff said he decided to step away from his real estate development work and take on the role of Middle East envoy because Kushner convinced him to do so.

Trump and many of his closest allies, including Witkoff and Kushner, were real estate developers before entering politics, and many of the onstage conversations highlighted that experience.

For example, Witkoff said that in the ceasefire negotiations between Hamas and Israel, it seemed like a real estate deal made more difficult because neither side would sit at the same table to negotiate.

While the original ceasefire agreement included a three- to five-year plan to rebuild Gaza, Witkoff does not believe it is possible to achieve that within that time frame.

“This is not something that can be done in five years. It’s not really possible,” Witkoff said on stage at the conference. “You can’t build an apartment building in Manhattan in five years.”

As Witkoff said Thursday, President Donald Trump's plan for Gaza does not aim to displace Palestinians, and that the conversation about the future of Gaza is shifting to how to create a better future for the Palestinians.

It is noteworthy that in a press conference on Wednesday, Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly said that Egypt is working on developing a framework for a Gaza reconstruction plan in partnership with Egyptian universities and consulting companies, and that the country has the capacity to rebuild the Gaza Strip within three years while allowing Gaza residents to remain there.

A report released this week by the United Nations, the European Union and the World Bank indicates that the costs of rebuilding Gaza will exceed $50 billion over the next decade.

It would have been better for Israel to have its prisoners returned alive, rather than some of them returning as corpses in coffins, as happened yesterday, when Israel recovered four bodies. The reason for this is the ruling issued by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who repeatedly refused to reach an agreement and release the Israeli detainees, giving priority to the interests of his ruling coalition and his remaining in power, despite the great pressure exerted by the families of the detainees and their numerous appeals. The agreement came late, which led to the death of a number of detainees.

It was clear that the Israeli army was the one who killed its prisoners, by bombing their detention centers, and the Israeli government alone bears responsibility for its stubbornness and insistence on continuing the war and aggression, knowing that the resistance preserved the lives of the occupation prisoners as much as possible, and provided everything it could, and treated them humanely, but the army killed them along with their captors, in its criminal campaign during which it killed about 18 thousand children, and this particular part was narrated by the resistance to respond to the occupation’s claims and its deception of world public opinion, by promoting the narrative of Hamas killing children, while Israel is the one who committed the massacres and continues to do so against the innocent of our people, especially our children.

Yesterday, during the ceremony of handing over the bodies of the Israeli prisoners, the resistance was keen to respect the sanctity of the dead and the feelings of their families. They were handed over to the International Red Cross in closed coffins and in a decent manner. The process was carried out smoothly and calmly, at a time when Israel is returning the bodies of Palestinian martyrs in plastic bags and in unsanitary vehicles, without taking their sanctity into consideration.

What is strange in yesterday’s statements was what was issued by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, where he claimed that displaying corpses is abhorrent and cruel, and is considered a slap in the face to international law. The answers to these statements: Where was this Commissioner, his voice, and even his whisper when the bodies of Palestinian martyrs were being delivered in garbage bags? What is his position on the hundreds of bodies of Palestinian martyrs that are still being held in Israel’s “cemeteries of numbers”?

Gaza sent many messages yesterday, most notably the delivery of the bodies of Israeli prisoners at a point near the eastern cemetery in Bani Suhaila, where the Israeli army worked and exhumed Palestinian bodies from graves, claiming the need to identify them to determine whether they belonged to detained Israelis, in a blatant violation of all international conventions and norms, at a time when slogans of Palestinian national and Islamic action factions appeared, as an important signal to the American administration and the Israeli government that the decision of who rules the Gaza Strip is a decision that goes back to Palestinian consensus only, and does not allow it to be outside of this consensus.

Netanyahu's failures continue, as he leads Israel to the abyss. The senior Israeli journalist in Maariv (Ben Caspit) described him as a terrible person, for attacking the head of the Shin Bet and the army leaders, and attributing the successes to himself, while in fact he is responsible for all the failures.

The Israeli street can only blame Netanyahu, because he is the one who decided to return some prisoners in coffins as a result of his stubborn policies.

The Palestinian debate over demands to reform the Palestine Liberation Organization, following the convening of the "Palestinian National Conference in the Qatari capital, Doha", is not a new matter in Palestinian history, as it sometimes took on escalating violent curves, sometimes closed-room discussions, and at other times with a demand curve that was popular in the media and in the form of protests and other things.

In my opinion, the problem is not in the demands, or in the conferences, or in the response and counter-response, but in the transformation of the organization from a means (i.e. a national front for liberation and the establishment of the state) to a goal. The Palestinians’ concept of reforming the Palestine Liberation Organization is based on quotas, “partnership,” and elections “which will not be achieved due to subjective and objective factors,” according to the documents of the reconciliation agreements between the Palestinian factions over the past twenty years, as two central elements.

The Declaration of Independence document shows that the goal of the Palestinian struggle is to establish a democratic state on the borders of June 4, 1967, which includes all Palestinians without detracting from the affiliation or the umbilical cord of the eternal relationship with the homeland and the legal bond with the state, while the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), the “instrument,” remains a moral homeland for all Palestinians and its function is transformed from a political one concerned with political representation, which remains today, to the link or connection between the Palestinians in the diaspora and the state and its institutions. In this context, the National Council announced its decision in 1988 that the Executive Committee would temporarily carry out the duties of the government of the State of Palestine until its formation, and it is deposited as a document in the General Secretariat of the United Nations pursuant to a letter submitted by the representative of the PLO at the time, Zuhdi Tarazi.

The greatest transformation among the Palestinians occurred following the elevation of Palestine’s status to observer state in the United Nations by virtue of UN General Assembly Resolution 67/19 issued on 26 November 2012. A number of steps were taken to embody the process of transition from the “means” organization to the “target” state over the past thirteen years, namely:

* Replacing the name “Palestinian National Authority” with the State of Palestine in official Palestinian institutions, and then deleting the word “President of the National Authority” from the President’s signature on decisions, laws, decrees and presidential decisions and adding to them the words “President of the State of Palestine” and “President of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization.”

• Issuing Decree-Law No. (1) of 2021 amending Decree-Law No. (1) of 2007 regarding general elections, which stipulated the election of the President of the State of Palestine by the Palestinian people, as Article 3 of the amended decision of 2021 stipulates “amending Article (2) of the original law, to become as follows: The President of the State of Palestine, Chairman of the Executive Committee of the Palestine Liberation Organization, the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, shall issue a presidential decree, within a period of no less than three months before the date of the end of his term or the term of the Legislative Council, calling for presidential and legislative elections, or either of them, in the State of Palestine, and specifying the date of the vote, and this decree shall be published in the Official Gazette, and announced in local newspapers.”

• The decision of the Central Council at its thirty-first session held on February 6-8, 2022, stipulating “the necessity of continuing work to adapt the legal status of the institutions of the Palestinian state and its international relations in implementation of General Assembly Resolution No. 19/67 of 2012” regarding raising the status of Palestine to an observer state in the United Nations, and the necessity for the Central Council to exercise its constitutional powers and supervisory authority over the executive bodies of the organization, its agencies and institutions, and over the Palestinian National Authority and the work of unions, syndicates and associations in accordance with the laws regulating their work.

• The Palestinian President’s decision dated 4/11/2022, stipulating “placing the General Secretariat of the Legislative Council, its components, and all its facilities under the responsibility of the President of the National Council.”

• The Presidential Decree regarding the President of the State of Palestine and members of the Palestinian leadership’s visit to the Gaza Strip, issued on 8/21/2024, which tasked the committee formed pursuant to the decree in Clause Five of Article Three of the Decree with “developing mechanisms for tangible steps towards the embodiment of the State of Palestine, the Constitutional Declaration, and the Transitional Council.”

In my opinion, talking about reforming the vehicle in the presence of a state recognized by 140 countries, becomes like talking about reforming an old, dilapidated vehicle that is no longer important when a modern vehicle is present. In the best of cases, the reform is done in the direction of changing its method of operation or its tasks as a complementary tool that helps in the matter of the home “homeland”. The cost of reform here is greater than bringing about the required change represented by declaring the government of the State of Palestine in accordance with the decision of the National Council in 1988, and with the political will represented by the transformation from the institutions of the Palestinian Authority “the tool of the PLO in managing the government in the Palestinian territories occupied in 1967 according to the Oslo Agreement” to the institutions of the state.

This does not eliminate some people’s fears of this transition, for reasons related to the status of the Palestine Liberation Organization, which the Israeli government recognized in letters of recognition in August 1993 as representing the Palestinian people. However, this recognition no longer has any meaning after Israel destroyed all existing commitments in the signed agreements.

Riyadh witnessed rounds of Russian-American negotiations, which addressed several issues in the region, including the situation in Gaza, and the Palestinian issue in general, according to press sources. These negotiations came at a sensitive time, as Russia seeks to strengthen its influence in the Middle East, and send specific messages to the United States about reorganizing the region. Despite the divergent positions of the major powers, these meetings may have a direct impact on how Washington deals with the Arab proposals regarding Gaza, and open the way for new negotiating opportunities that may take into account the interests of the various parties in the region.

Despite the EU’s public and verbal support for the two-state solution, its positions often lack practical action on this issue, given the ongoing Association Council with Israel. Regarding Trump’s plan for Gaza, the EU has not shown any serious action against it, but rather has been hesitant to support the Arab plan, reflecting its diminished role due to Trump’s attempts to marginalize it, as was evident at the recent Munich conference.

Although the PLO will participate in the Arab summit in Cairo next week, it will be absent from a mini-Arab summit with the participation of eight countries, which will be held on Friday, in a move aimed at reorganizing the political scene in Gaza, before the Arab summit in Cairo next week. This initiative comes within the framework of reconstruction attempts, but at the same time it carries strategic dimensions that should not intersect with American and Israeli interests, which raises fundamental questions about the extent to which Washington will accept this plan in the event of Arab agreement on it, which requires challenging American dictates, and the extent to which the Americans are prepared to abandon their declared vision for Gaza, which includes brutal scenarios such as displacing the population.

Although it is unusual for the Palestine Liberation Organization or the Palestinian Authority to be excluded from such meetings, especially when it comes to discussing fateful issues such as the Trump plan, the absence in Riyadh may be the result of differing positions with some of the participating Arab countries, or perhaps due to the lack of internal consensus on how to deal with international and regional pressures, which is reflected in the Palestinian side’s ability to influence such forums under these circumstances.

However, in light of the current international reality, the American position can be inferred by comparing it to the way Washington dealt with other files, such as Ukraine and Zelensky, where the United States played a dual role represented by intensive military and political support accompanied by imposing a special vision for how to manage the crisis in a way that serves its interests, a principle that depends on exhausting those who cooperated with Washington throughout the history of its relations with them until they are exhausted. The question here is, will Washington adopt a similar approach in Gaza, so that it supports the Arab plan, provided that it remains under its direct supervision and serves its interests, or will it work to empty it of its content, as it did with many previous political initiatives?

Since the Trump administration presented its Middle East plan, the forced displacement of Gazans has been among the scenarios promoted as part of the implementation of the New Middle East Vision. Despite the change of administrations in Washington, the US approach to the Palestinian issue has not changed much, as it continues to seek to impose a reality that serves Israel, whether by supporting Tel Aviv militarily, politically and economically, or by obstructing any efforts that might lead to the unification of Gaza and the West Bank under a sovereign Palestinian leadership represented by the PLO, and lead to the embodiment of a continuous and sovereign Palestinian state. Therefore, even if Washington does not explicitly reject the Arab proposal, it is likely to work to modify it to become a tool for implementing Israeli policies.

The main challenge facing the Arab countries is to achieve a delicate balance between their desire to rebuild in order to prevent displacement to their lands and ensure their national security, and to prevent Gaza from turning into a new arena of conflict on the one hand, and American and Israeli pressures seeking to keep the Strip in a state of chronic weakness on the other hand, or to renew the war on it according to Netanyahu’s desires to ensure his survival in his position, unless the United States pushes for a change in the form of the occupation government.

Given previous experiences, any Arab initiative that does not have American support will be subject to abortion or distortion because the Arabs have previously agreed to follow a path of non-confrontation. The success of the plan also depends on the acceptance of the Palestine Liberation Organization, which may not be guaranteed, especially if a Palestinian committee independent of the Palestinian Authority government is imposed, reflecting the desire of some Arab countries to reduce the influence of the current leadership of the Authority, in order to serve the attempt to impose their vision of a “renewed authority” that will be acceptable to the United States.

As for Israel, it is unlikely to support any formula that restores Palestinian political and geographical unity.

If the United States has treated Zelensky as a functional card in Ukraine, it may do the same with some Palestinian parties that will be used to manage Gaza, without giving them any real margin for independent decision-making.

This raises questions about the independence of the proposed Palestinian committee, and whether it will turn into another functional entity that serves external agendas instead of being an expression of the Palestinian will with reference to the PLO and the independence of its national decision.

In this context, the ongoing negotiations between Israel and Hamas on the second phase of the ceasefire agreement, mediated by Egypt and Qatar, may play a pivotal role in determining the future of Gaza. If understandings are reached on the ceasefire and post-war management, this may affect the extent to which the various parties accept the Arab plan. However, if the negotiations continue to falter, any political initiative will remain hostage to the reality on the ground.

With the continuation of the annexation and settlement expansion policies adopted by Israel in the West Bank, including Jerusalem, with American support, this expansion does not stop at the borders of displacing Palestinians from Gaza, but rather includes its plans to target Palestinian camps in various occupied territories, which poses a major challenge to our Palestinian people in preserving their identity and existence on their land, in the face of what seriously threatens the unity of the Palestinian land and people through attempts to embody the Greater Israel settlement project.

The continuation of these policies makes broad Palestinian national unity more important than ever, as efforts must be intensified between the various Palestinian factions, independents, and civil society to ensure that these schemes are confronted. By strengthening the unity of the Palestinian national ranks, clear vision, programs, and tools that must be characterized by development, change, and non-stagnation, and understanding the nature of the necessities of correct political positioning in light of the ongoing transformations in international relations and enabling our people to stand firm and confront, we can stand up to the major challenges surrounding the Palestinian cause, and begin to achieve our national independence, justice, and freedom for our people.

The position of the administration of US President Donald Trump differs from that of the government of Benjamin Netanyahu regarding progress towards the second phase of the ceasefire and prisoner exchange agreement. The Trump administration is putting pressure on Netanyahu to reach and implement the second phase, while Netanyahu is trying to obstruct or delay reaching it.

In this context, the Israeli media portrays Netanyahu as having to submit to threats from the head of the Religious Zionism Party and Finance Minister, Bezalel Smotrich, who sees the implementation of the second stage as the end of the war on Gaza, which he rejects, and threatens that in this case he will withdraw from the government, which threatens its collapse, because the remaining parties in the government, namely Likud and the Haredim, will not form a majority in the Knesset, after the Otzma Yehudit party headed by Itamar Ben Gvir withdrew from the government last month.

But this scenario is not necessarily realistic. Netanyahu has repeatedly stated that the war on Gaza will resume after the current first stage of the agreement is over. And if Netanyahu decides to end the war, he will show that he has failed to achieve its stated goals: eliminating Hamas militarily and politically, and returning all Israeli prisoners held in the Gaza Strip.

In addition, Ben-Gvir's party did not join the opposition in the Knesset after withdrawing from the government, and Smotrich's party is not expected to join the opposition either, if he withdraws from the government. Ben-Gvir declared that "we will not bring down the right-wing government."

Netanyahu's government seems to be safe in this case. But there are two crises coming: a law exempting the ultra-Orthodox from military conscription, demanded by the ultra-Orthodox parties, and the state budget law for the current year, which the government must enact by the end of March, or the government will automatically fall. The ultra-Orthodox parties are threatening not to support the state budget if the law exempting the ultra-Orthodox from military conscription is not enacted before then.

In contrast, Smotrich and Ben-Gvir’s parties support mandatory conscription for the Haredim, as their voters enlist in the army at high rates compared to other population groups performing military service. Therefore, it is expected that they will oppose a law exempting the Haredim from conscription, especially since the Israeli army announces that it is facing a shortage of its personnel due to the war, and demands the conscription of the Haredim.

It is not clear how Netanyahu will resolve these crises in his government, but some estimates indicate that if he decides to implement the second stage of the ceasefire, prisoner exchange, and cessation of the war, he will provide “compensation” to Smotrich, in the form of implementing a plan to annex areas in the West Bank to Israel, although this will not be an easy step to implement, due to widespread international opposition to it, with the possible exception of the Trump administration, and in light of expectations of a deterioration in the security situation in the West Bank leading to a massive uprising. The most prominent thing in this scenario, the essence of which is to stop the war, is that Netanyahu declares his failure to achieve the goals of the war.

However, Netanyahu decided to resort to procrastination, and raised the possibility of extending the first stage. He excluded the head of the Mossad, David Barnea, and the head of the Shin Bet, Ronen Bar, from the negotiating delegation, and appointed Minister Ron Dermer, who is considered his closest advisor, as head of the negotiating delegation.

The change comes as a prelude to ending the Shin Bet chief’s term in office, either by forcing him to resign, as was done with the IDF Chief of Staff, Herzi Halevi, or by dismissing him. This is expected to happen by the end of this month, when the Shin Bet is due to submit its investigation into its failure on October 7, 2023. Israeli reports indicate that Netanyahu will appoint someone loyal to him as head of the Shin Bet.

Dermer's appointment aims to obstruct or delay the negotiations on the second phase, as Dermer will conduct these negotiations with Trump's special envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, and not with the Qatari and Egyptian mediators, under the pretext of taking the reins of the negotiations away from Qatar. Since the negotiations are between Israel and Hamas, and not with the mediators, it is not clear how Hamas will be communicated with, which has no direct contact with the Americans, but it is likely that Qatar will continue its efforts to end the war, as it is the closest to Hamas, whose leadership is based in Doha.

Installing a new system in Gaza

In the past week, there has been increasing talk in Israel about the displacement of Gazans, after Trump gave it legitimacy, when he spoke about “transferring” Gazans to other countries, including Egypt and Jordan, and Netanyahu mentioned that Saudi Arabia is also among these countries, in return for rebuilding the destroyed Gaza Strip. The Palestinians, the Arab countries and the entire world oppose this plan, except for the Trump administration.

Reports in the past week have indicated Israeli plans to displace Gazans during a war on Gaza, not during a ceasefire. This means that these plans indicate the possibility of resuming the war after the implementation of the second stage, and not implementing the third stage, which, according to the agreement, requires the complete withdrawal of the Israeli army from the Strip and the beginning of reconstruction that is not linked to what Trump announced.

The Israeli displacement plans include details about “transferring” Gazans abroad by air, sea and land, while the Israeli army launches heavy-handed military operations against Hamas throughout the Strip. Israel imagines that this will eliminate Hamas’s military and governmental presence, after it has recovered its prisoners.

However, the success of the plan to displace the Gazans is not expected. All of Israel's attempts to displace the Gazans have failed, since the Nakba of 1948, and during the tripartite aggression against Egypt in 1956, during which Israel occupied the Gaza Strip and Sinai for a few months and was forced to withdraw from them, and also after occupying the Strip in 1967.

Although Netanyahu was aware of this historical fact, he was the first to propose, in the current war, implementing such a displacement. At the end of December 2023, he announced during a meeting of the Likud party faction in the Knesset that he was working on implementing a “voluntary migration” of the residents of the Gaza Strip to other countries, and considered that “our problem is (finding) countries willing to receive them, and we are working on this matter.” At the time, former Foreign Minister Eli Cohen formed a team whose mission was to try to make contacts with African countries that might agree to receive displaced people from Gaza, including Congo and Rwanda.

Netanyahu declares that at the end of the war Hamas will not be in power, and that he rejects the return of the Palestinian Authority to Gaza. According to Trump's plan to "own" Gaza and turn it into a huge resort, Israel will not be in Gaza either. Netanyahu welcomed and praised this plan. This means that in Netanyahu's view, someone will be installed to lead Gaza.

The issue of installing a ruler or regime in an area occupied, besieged or controlled by Israel in any way is a complex one for the Israelis, and by their own admission, due to its failure. In the West Bank, Israel failed to install Palestinian groups loyal to it, such as the “Village Leagues,” in the late 1970s, to serve as an alternative to the Palestinian national forces and prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state. During the Israeli invasion of Lebanon and the siege of Beirut in 1982, it failed to install the leader of the Phalangists, Bashir Gemayel, as president of Lebanon, and he was assassinated in the Phalangists’ stronghold three weeks later.

In both cases of inauguration, there were no local armed movements in the West Bank or Lebanon on the scale of the resistance in Gaza, which recorded great steadfastness in the face of the massive Israeli war machine, despite the horrific crimes of genocide and massive destruction in the Strip. Therefore, it is expected that the issue of inauguration in Gaza, regardless of who is the party that will inaugurate it, whether American, international or Arab, will be a story of declared failure.

The negotiations for the second phase between Israel and Hamas within the framework of the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip are at a standstill due to the former’s procrastination in the talks, which are scheduled to end by the end of this week, at a time when the Minister of Strategic Affairs, Ron Dermer, who was assigned by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to conduct negotiations on the second phase, is in Washington.

Israel claimed on Friday that Hamas had violated the ceasefire agreement and handed over the body of a Gazan woman instead of the body of an Israeli prisoner, after the resistance factions on Thursday handed over to Tel Aviv the bodies of four prisoners, including the bodies of the Bibas family and the body of prisoner Oded Lifshitz, in exchange for the release of about 50 Palestinian prisoners.

The Palestinian resistance factions are scheduled to announce on Friday the names of 6 Israeli prisoners who will be included in the exchange batch on Saturday, in exchange for the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners from Israeli prisons.

US President's envoy to the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, said that the second phase of the ceasefire agreement in Gaza is supposed to put an end to the war, noting that progress has been made in the negotiations related to it.

I was saddened by the scenes of the four bodies that Hamas handed over yesterday, along with pictures of the victims: the father, Yarden Bibas, the mother, Sheri, and their two children, Kfir and Ariel. In the background, there was a picture of Dracula, the bloodsucker and killer of children and women, as a reminder of the brutal criminal who did not care about the blood of the Israeli family, just as he committed murder and genocide against thousands of families in the Strip, many of whom were removed from the civil registry, in the incinerator of genocide and ethnic cleansing.

My grief over the killing of the two Israeli children and their parents was no less than my grief over the killing of Yousef, “Abu Shaar Curly,” Hind Rajab, Mohammed, George, and thousands of their peers, along with their families of mothers, fathers, grandfathers, and grandmothers, who shared American bombs with the Israeli captives in the homes targeted for genocide.

Humanity is indivisible. Your heart cannot grieve over the loss of your beloved child, nor feel the same way toward other children, even if they are the children of the occupier who is killing your children. We were raised on a tolerant belief that does not differentiate between people on the basis of color, race, or religion. The Holy Quran says: “O mankind, indeed We have created you from male and female and made you peoples and tribes that you may know one another. Indeed, the most honorable of you in the sight of Allah is the most righteous of you. Indeed, Allah is Knowing and Acquainted.” The Master of Creation also urged us to have the values of compassion in wars, as he advised the armies: “Do not kill a woman, a child, an old man, or a worshipper in a monastery. And do not cut down a tree.” These are the values that explain the appearance of the Israeli detainees in full health and wellness, in contrast to the appearance of our liberated prisoners, whose faces have turned pale and their bodies have become emaciated from the extreme torture and starvation to which they were subjected.

We look forward to escalating protests by Israeli families, to block the path of the killer who is trying to evade the deal’s requirements, to return to completing the massacre, not caring about the detainees, possessed by a desire to kill more children in Gaza.

It must be remembered that it is necessary to release the bodies of hundreds of martyrs, who numbered 665 martyrs in the cemeteries of numbers, and to turn the page on the pain and waiting of the bereaved families, and to cool their sorrows by burying their sons.

Perhaps the lesson that rises from the ashes of the incense burner is that peace, ending the occupation, and granting the Palestinian people their right to freedom and independence is the shortest way to stop the bloodshed and draw beautiful dreams for our children and their children alike.

Dr. Dalal Erekat: Trump, in his recent statements, used “coercive diplomacy” as a pressure tool to lower the ceiling of Arab and Palestinian expectations regarding future solutions

Dr. Saad Nimr: Adhering to the Arab position rejecting displacement is a positive step, but that is not enough without a clear strategic vision that guarantees the Palestinians their rights

Sulaiman Basharat: The meeting will define the general features of the Arab vision that will form the roadmap for the next stage, making it a very important strategic step.

Dr. Walaa Qadimat: A real test of the extent of Arab countries’ commitment to proposing practical solutions that guarantee the rejection of displacement and the protection of the Palestinian cause from liquidation attempts

Dr. Amr Hussein: A major station for formulating a unified Arab position to confront the displacement plan and working on formulating a comprehensive plan that will be presented to the White House

Daoud Kuttab: The Riyadh Summit aims primarily to secure the necessary financial resources to rebuild Gaza.. and the speed and efficiency of construction with Arab support is the strongest response to displacement

The Riyadh Summit will be held today, Friday, with the participation of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, in addition to Egypt and Jordan, as an important diplomatic station in the path of Arab efforts aimed at confronting the challenges facing the Palestinian cause, most notably the dangers of forced displacement of Palestinians.

In separate interviews with “I”, writers, political analysts, specialists and university professors believe that this summit comes within the framework of completing the Arab diplomatic path that began since the outbreak of the Israeli aggression on Gaza, as the participating countries seek to formulate a unified Arab position that rejects any plans aimed at changing the demographic reality in Palestine.

According to writers, analysts, specialists and university professors, the summit is considered a test of the ability of Arab countries to translate their positions rejecting displacement into actual and binding policies that go beyond political statements to clear implementation mechanisms.

The expectations of writers, analysts, specialists and university professors indicate that the summit will seek to present a practical alternative for managing the situation in Gaza, including a detailed plan for reconstruction and management of the sector in the “post-war” phase.

They stress that the Riyadh Summit is a preemptive step to confront the American and Israeli plans that seek to impose new facts on the ground, and to confront any attempts to liquidate the Palestinian cause or impose coercive solutions that serve Israeli interests.

Riyadh Summit comes within the framework of completing the Arab diplomatic path

Dr. Dalal Araikat, Professor of Diplomacy and Conflict Resolution at the Arab American University, explains that the expanded Riyadh summit today, Friday, with the participation of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, in addition to Egypt and Jordan, comes within the framework of completing the Arab diplomatic path that began since the outbreak of the Israeli aggression on Gaza.

Erekat points out that this summit comes as part of regional and international efforts aimed at protecting the Palestinian people and preventing forced displacement scenarios.

Erekat points out that Arab and international pressures succeeded in stopping the catastrophic scenario of the direct forced displacement of Palestinians, but the gradual displacement is still ongoing, which requires sustainable practical steps to confront it.

She stresses that what we are witnessing today are ongoing attempts to impose a new reality on the ground, through expanding Israeli settlements, destroying infrastructure in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and creating an unlivable environment, which is forcibly pushing Palestinians towards migration, which is another form of undeclared forced displacement.

Erekat believes that the outcomes of the Riyadh Summit will be a real test of the ability of Arab countries to translate their positions rejecting displacement into actual and binding policies, going beyond political statements to clear executive mechanisms that prevent the reproduction of displacement scenarios in any form.

Erekat explains that the Arab countries are required to present a practical alternative to the Trump administration, which includes a detailed plan that is preferred for their vision of the “day after” stage in Gaza, in order to convince the American administration of an alternative plan that prevents displacement and annexation and the realization of the “Greater Israel” project, which eliminates the Palestinian people’s right to self-determination.

Erekat stresses that despite the clarity of the Arab positions in rejecting displacement and emphasizing the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, the absence of the Palestinians from the meeting raises questions about the possibility of scenarios being prepared for the "day after" stage outside the framework of the Palestinian Authority and the Hamas movement.

Erekat points out that these scenarios may include new security arrangements, such as the presence of joint Arab or European security forces to administer Gaza, which requires clarity and coordination with the Palestinian leadership to ensure that it is not bypassed in any future arrangements.

Erekat stresses the need for the Riyadh summit to present a detailed, written, and practical alternative that is applicable and forms the basis for a comprehensive political solution, as this alternative must be more realistic and acceptable than any previous displacement plans, such as the Trump plan that was previously proposed to manage Gaza affairs.

Erekat calls for reading US President Donald Trump's recent statements in the context of "coercive diplomacy," as he uses them as a pressure tool to lower Arab and Palestinian expectations regarding future solutions.

Erekat explains that the threat of displacement comes as a tactic to make the Palestinians and Arabs feel the seriousness of the situation and push them towards making political concessions, in conjunction with expected normalization arrangements, which Saudi Arabia may be at the forefront of.

She points out that Saudi Arabia stands in a complex strategic position in light of the Trump administration, as it is at the same time leading the international coalition to implement the two-state solution.

Erekat stresses the need to exploit this role to push the international community towards a just and comprehensive solution that protects Palestinian rights and prevents any attempts to bypass them under any pretext.

Great political importance of Riyadh and Cairo summits

Dr. Saad Nimr, a professor of political science at Birzeit University, confirms that the mini-Arab summit in Riyadh is of great political importance, but it is not the most prominent event, as the emergency Arab summit in Cairo is the most sensitive, as it will put the Egyptian plan for dealing with the situation in Gaza on the discussion table before the concerned Arab countries.

Nimr believes that the emergency summit in Cairo will be decisive in formulating the joint Arab position regarding Gaza, as the Egyptian plan will be officially presented.

Nimr explains that this plan is based on the principle of rejecting the forced displacement of Palestinians, a position agreed upon by all Arab countries, but it raises fundamental questions about the next steps, especially with regard to managing the sector after the war.

Nimr confirms that the leaks about the Egyptian plan indicate the possibility of deploying Arab forces to supervise the security situation in Gaza, in addition to disarming the Hamas movement, which may receive American approval in exchange for a commitment to reject the displacement.

He points out that these issues are being raised as part of a political bargain, as the United States and Israel seek to impose a new reality in Gaza without allowing the situation to return to what it was before the war.

Nimr confirms that the Arab countries are aware of the danger of the American-Israeli plan to displace Palestinians from Gaza, especially Egypt and Jordan, which will be the most affected by any waves of mass migration.

He points out that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had previously hinted at the possibility of transferring the residents of Gaza to Saudi Arabia, which explains the Arab consensus rejecting the displacement as an existential threat to the region.

Nimr explains that the summit will try to find an alternative solution to the displacement plan, but the basic question remains: What is this alternative?

Will the Arab countries accept the imposition of a joint Arab-Palestinian administration over Gaza? Will they be able to convince the United States and Israel that this option ensures security and stability without the need to displace the population?

He points out that the Arab position must be firm in rejecting displacement without any conditions or compromises, and not merely searching for alternatives that are in line with the American vision.

According to Nimr, the Arab summit will depend largely on the results of the meeting in Riyadh. If an Arab consensus is reached on the Egyptian plan, it is likely to be officially adopted, even if some countries, such as Algeria or others, object to some of its details.

Nimr stresses that agreeing to reject forced displacement does not necessarily mean reaching a just and fair solution for the Palestinians, but may be merely a tactical move to pass other solutions that satisfy the United States and Israel.

Nimr stresses that the central issue is not only in rejecting displacement, but in determining what comes after the rejection, i.e. how Gaza will be managed politically and security-wise, who will bear responsibility for reconstruction, and what are the guarantees to prevent the imposition of coercive solutions on the Palestinians that serve Israeli interests.

He believes that the meeting in Riyadh is the key to what will happen later at the Arab Summit, where the ability of Arab countries to impose their own vision, without submitting to American and Israeli pressure, will be tested.

Nimr stresses that adhering to the Arab position rejecting displacement is a positive step, but it is not sufficient if it is not accompanied by a clear strategic vision that guarantees the Palestinians their rights to self-determination without external interference.

An Arab attempt to address the current political situation

Writer and political analyst Suleiman Basharat asserts that the Arab summit being held in Riyadh is of great importance, not only for its sensitive timing, but also for the nature of the topic for which it was called, which is to discuss “Trump’s vision” for the Palestinian issue and address Middle East issues.

Basharat points out that the summit comes within the framework of an Arab attempt to address the current political situation and block what the United States and Israel may seek in the next stage.

Basharat explains that the speed of holding the summit reflects the desire of Arab leaders not to leave a political or temporal vacuum that Washington and Tel Aviv could exploit to impose visions or solutions that do not take into account the Arab position or the needs of the peoples of the region.

"The summit does not want to give a time frame that might allow for the imposition of a unilateral American-Israeli vision, which is what makes this step preemptive and important," Basharat says.

Basharat believes that the expanded Arab summit in Cairo, which will follow the Riyadh meeting, is largely protocol-based, while the Riyadh summit comes as a practical step aimed at formulating a unified Arab vision that can be adopted and activated if the appropriate conditions are available.

A proactive step to draw the features of the alternative Arab vision

Basharat points out that the Riyadh Summit includes the active parties directly concerned with the political repercussions of the Palestinian issue, which makes it a proactive step to draw the features of the alternative Arab vision.

Basharat stressed that the decisions that will come out of the Riyadh summit will form the basic ground and agenda for the discussions that will take place at the expanded Arab summit, if it is held.

Basharat says: “The Riyadh Summit will determine the general features of the Arab vision that will form the roadmap for the next stage, which makes it a very important strategic step.”

Basharat points out that the summit, even if its decisions have not been announced directly or clearly yet, will set the basic points for any future Arab position or decision regarding the Palestinian issue.

Basharat says: “The summit will present an alternative Arab vision to the American-Israeli plan, and it is an attempt to block the American position that ignores Arab and Palestinian rights.”

Although Basharat acknowledges that it is not possible to confirm the success of this Arab vision or fully define its features at this stage, he stresses that the summit is a serious attempt to confront the American-Israeli proposal.

"Ultimately, this summit is an attempt to fill the political vacuum that Washington and Tel Aviv may exploit, and it is a step towards forming a unified Arab position that reflects the interests of the Arab peoples and preserves Palestinian rights," Basharat says.

Basharat believes that the summit, although it is a first step, will lay the foundations for a comprehensive Arab vision that can be built upon in the coming stages, especially in light of the major challenges facing the Palestinian cause and the region as a whole.

The necessity of establishing a unified Arab position to confront challenges

Writer and political researcher, Dr. Walaa Qadimat, confirms that the expanded Riyadh Summit comes in the context of the necessity of establishing a unified Arab position to confront current challenges, most notably the dangers of displacing Palestinians, explaining that the Riyadh Summit is important for the participating countries to agree and set aside differences on how to finance the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip and also how to manage the Strip.

Qadimat stresses that the summit represents an opportunity to formulate a joint Arab response that rejects any plans aimed at changing the demographic reality in Palestine, which calls for decisive decisions to prevent the implementation of these projects that threaten Arab national security.

Qadeemat explains that regional and international developments require a real awareness from Arab countries of the repercussions of the biased American position in favor of Israel, as this policy directly affects the national security of Egypt and Jordan, in addition to its repercussions on the Arab region as a whole, considering that the Palestinian issue is not only the issue of the Palestinians, but also an Arab and Islamic issue.

Qadeemat points out that the upcoming summit in Cairo holds special importance, as it is expected to constitute a major milestone in formulating a comprehensive Arab vision for the reconstruction of Gaza.

Qadimat stresses that this issue requires defining roles and responsibilities, and agreeing on clear mechanisms to ensure the reconstruction of the sector within a framework that enhances stability, rather than being a mere temporary measure without a clear political vision. Hence the importance of the expanded Riyadh Summit to formulate a position that establishes the Cairo Summit.

Qadeemat believes that the Riyadh Summit represents a real test of the extent of the Arab countries’ commitment to proposing practical solutions that guarantee the rejection of displacement and the protection of the Palestinian cause from attempts at liquidation.

Qadeemat stresses that the Arab and regional reality in light of the new American policies requires Arab leaders to realize the necessity of forming a unified, cohesive position, because the liquidation of the Palestinian cause will not only have repercussions on the Palestinians alone, but will affect Arab national security as a whole.

Qadeemat touched upon the fact that the US position cannot be relied upon, noting that the US bias in favour of Israel provokes Arab and Islamic sentiments, which could lead to an unexpected escalation in the event that displacement plans or the liquidation of the Palestinian cause are implemented.

Qadeemat stresses that betting on the silence of the Arab peoples is not a guaranteed option, especially since any attempts to force the Palestinians to leave their lands will be met with reactions at the official and popular levels, which will further complicate the situation in the region.

Qadeemat stresses that the reconstruction of Gaza must be part of a comprehensive solution, not just an emergency response to the humanitarian situation.

Qadeem believes that Arab leaders are required to develop clear and specific plans to secure international support for reconstruction, while ensuring that the Palestinian issue is not used as a political bargaining chip.

Qadimat indicates that Washington may be willing to back down from its position on displacement if it finds that the proposed alternatives serve its interests, which requires Arab leaders to present workable proposals that do not infringe on Palestinian rights.

She stresses that any solution that ignores legitimate Palestinian rights will further complicate the situation in the region, which could expose American and Israeli interests to unexpected risks.

Qadeemat stresses that rejecting displacement must be a firm collective Arab position, and not merely a negotiating position, noting that continuing to talk about “acceptable alternatives” instead of categorically rejecting displacement may lead to the erosion of the Arab position, which opens the door to projects that threaten the Palestinian existence.

Qadeem believes that the upcoming Arab summit should send a clear message to the United States and the international community that displacement is not an option, and that any attempts to impose it will be met with decisive Arab rejection.

Qadeemat stresses that the next stage requires joint Arab efforts to present a clear political vision that prevents the implementation of any plans aimed at liquidating the Palestinian cause or threatening regional stability.

Presenting an Arab vision that supports the establishment of a Palestinian state and a two-state solution

Egyptian writer and political analyst Dr. Amr Hussein confirms that all eyes are on the upcoming Riyadh summit, which will be held today, Friday, with the participation of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, Egypt, and Jordan, with the aim of discussing current challenges, most notably the displacement plan in the Gaza Strip.

Hussein points out that Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi left Spain for Saudi Arabia to attend the Riyadh Summit, which is a major milestone for formulating a unified Arab position to confront the displacement plan.

According to Hussein, the Arab Republic of Egypt is leading efforts to formulate a unified Arab plan that aims to thwart the Israeli displacement project in Gaza and provide a strategic alternative that prevents the liquidation of the Palestinian cause.

Hussein explains that the US administration, led by President Donald Trump, justifies its support for the displacement plans with two main arguments: the continued rule of Hamas in the Strip, and the unlivability of Gaza due to the widespread destruction. In this context, the Arab countries are working on formulating a comprehensive plan that will be presented to the White House, which has expressed its readiness to consider the Arab proposal, in light of simultaneous Arab efforts to mobilize European support for the Arab position.

Hussein believes that the Riyadh summit is a preemptive step towards the upcoming Cairo summit next month, during which clear foundations will be laid to confront the plans aimed at liquidating the Palestinian cause, and to work on presenting an Arab vision that supports the establishment of the Palestinian state and the two-state solution.

Hussein stresses the importance of Arab moves at a time when Gaza is facing a serious challenge, which increases the importance of unifying the Arab position to thwart attempts to impose new facts on the ground, according to an Israeli vision supported by the United States.

Any funding for reconstruction is not possible with Hamas in power.

Writer and political analyst Daoud Kuttab believes that the Riyadh summit aims primarily to secure the financial resources necessary to rebuild the Gaza Strip, stressing that the speed and efficiency of reconstruction with Arab support will be the strongest response to the displacement plans adopted by the administration of US President Donald Trump.

Writers explain that Arab countries realize the importance of providing significant financial support to rebuild the Gaza Strip, which was destroyed by the Israeli aggression. However, this funding is contingent on making a fundamental change in the administration of Gaza.

Writers point out that there is a trend within the summit to ask Egypt and Qatar to exert pressure on the Hamas movement to push it to step down from managing the Gaza Strip, or accept the establishment of a new Palestinian Authority or a joint Palestinian-Arab administration to take over the affairs of Gaza.

Writers confirm that there is an international and Arab consensus that any funding for the reconstruction of Gaza will not be possible while Hamas continues to rule, pointing out that the international community is demanding a new administrative framework that ensures that wars are not repeated and prevents the exploitation of aid for political or military purposes.

Writers point out that Israel is convinced that it will not stop its ongoing aggression against Gaza as long as there is no change in the management of the Strip, considering that forming a new authority that enjoys Arab and international acceptance will be the only way to secure the necessary funding and stop the Israeli war of extermination against the Palestinians in Gaza.

The Israeli occupation forces arrested, at dawn today, Friday, three citizens from Jalazone camp and the village of Surda, north of Ramallah.

Local sources reported that the occupation forces stormed Jalazone camp and arrested Kamal Hassouna and Jihad Misbah after raiding their homes. They also arrested the freed prisoner Iyad Abu Salama from Surda after raiding and searching his home.

Medical sources announced, at dawn on Friday, the death of citizen Ahmed Riyad Ahmed Awad, who succumbed to his serious injuries after a military vehicle hit his vehicle in the city of Tulkarm.

The martyr Awad, a resident of the town of Deir al-Ghusun, north of Tulkarm, was injured along with his wife when a military vehicle traveling at high speed in the opposite direction of traffic hit the vehicle he and his wife were riding in on Nablus Street opposite Tulkarm camp. They were taken to the hospital, and doctors later announced his martyrdom.

With the martyrdom of Awad, the number of martyrs in Tulkarm and its camps during the Israeli aggression that has been ongoing for 26 days has risen to 12 martyrs, including a child (7 years old) and two women, one of whom is eight months pregnant.

The Israeli occupation forces continued their aggression on the city of Tulkarm and its camp for the 26th consecutive day, and on the Nour Shams camp for the 13th day, amid military reinforcements, accompanied by destruction and vandalism of citizens’ homes and properties.

Local sources reported that the occupation forces sent military reinforcements towards the city and its two camps, and deployed their vehicles and soldiers in the streets and neighborhoods, concentrating on Nablus Street, which connects the Tulkarm and Nour Shams camps, and obstructed the movement of vehicles and citizens, and stopped them and subjected them to inspection and investigation.

Meanwhile, the occupation forces caused widespread destruction to citizens' homes and shops in Nour Shams camp, specifically in the Manshiyya neighborhood, and burned a residential building there, in addition to the extensive destruction of the infrastructure and water, electricity and communications networks.

Citizens who were able to enter the camp observed the extent of the destruction to their homes and public property, including the destruction and vandalism of the building of the Nour Shams Association for the Rehabilitation of the Disabled, which specializes in caring for a large number of people with disabilities from the camp and the city, through humanitarian and social programs.

Citizens described what happened in the Manshiyya neighborhood as an indescribable scene and unbelievable destruction. Houses were open, some destroyed, and others completely demolished. Burned vehicles were in the alleys of the camp, and shops were damaged, but their contents were not spared. The effects of the bombing, destruction, and sabotage filled every corner, and the camp was completely afflicted.

The occupation forces also continued their campaign of raids on homes in Nour Shams camp, searching them, destroying their contents, and interrogating their residents after detaining them for hours.

In Tulkarm camp, destruction covered its neighborhoods after the occupation bulldozers demolished more than 14 houses over the course of two days, leaving behind rubble and debris, as part of the escalation campaign targeting the camp, as part of a plan to open a street extending from the agency area to the Balawneh neighborhood, passing through the Al-Sawalmeh, Al-Shuhada, and Al-Khidmat neighborhoods, in addition to burning other houses and causing damage to several houses, and the complete destruction of the infrastructure that accompanied it.

In the same context, the occupation forces caused destruction and vandalism to the houses they seized in the eastern neighborhood of Tulkarm and turned them into military barracks, while the municipality crews opened the roads and removed the rubble and debris from the streets after the occupation withdrew from the neighborhood.

The occupation forces seized a third building on Nablus Street in the city and turned it into a military barracks, after forcing its residents to leave it by force.

At the same time, the occupation forces continue to close the gate of the Jabara checkpoint at the southern entrance to the city of Tulkarm for the 14th consecutive day, isolating the city from the villages and towns of Al-Kafriyat and the rest of the West Bank governorates.

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday he would travel to Washington to try to convince his US counterpart Donald Trump that his interests were aligned with those of his European allies and that showing any weakness to Russian President Vladimir Putin would make dealing with China and Iran more difficult.

Macron said the uncertainty over how Trump would handle Russia's three-year assault on Ukraine was worrying, but it also created uncertainty for Putin, something that should be used to help negotiations.

Macron's remarks came during a question-and-answer session on social media as part of the French government's efforts to make people more aware of the impact of the Ukraine war, France's role and the shift in the United States' position since Trump took office.

A young man was shot in the thigh with live bullets, Thursday evening, during the Israeli occupation forces’ raid on the village of Shuqba, northwest of Ramallah.

Local sources reported that the occupation forces fired live bullets at a young man (37 years old), which resulted in him being shot in the thigh.

The occupation forces stormed the village and, at gunpoint, took citizens out of the shops in the center of the village, subjected them to searches, and abused a number of them.

According to the sources, the occupation soldiers destroyed a number of vehicles in the village, and fired live bullets and tear gas bombs intensively towards citizens' homes.

The occupation police reported that an explosion occurred, which led to the burning of a bus in a parking lot in the city of Bat Yam, south of Tel Aviv, which necessitated an intensive security deployment at the site to investigate the causes of the accident.

According to the Channel 12 correspondent, the Shin Bet internal security service is investigating whether the explosions that targeted two empty buses in the city represent an operation.

So far, there have been no reports of injuries, while security investigations into the circumstances and possible causes of the accident continue.

The Revolutionary Council of the Fatah Movement held its twelfth regular session, "The Martyr National Leader Abdul-Ilah Al-Atira Session," this evening, Thursday, in the presence of the President of the State of Palestine, Mahmoud Abbas, and members of the movement's Central Committee.

The first session was opened after the quorum was reached, with a speech by His Excellency in which he discussed the latest political developments.

The President said, "We meet today in the midst of another difficult phase that our national cause is going through, as the Israeli occupation continues its tyranny and aggression against our people, violating all international laws and treaties, without deterrence or accountability, in Gaza, the West Bank and Jerusalem. This is a phase through which it aims to undermine the two-state solution, weaken the Palestinian National Authority, and impose punitive policies and ethnic cleansing on our people. These policies in Jerusalem differ from those in the West Bank or the Gaza Strip, with the aim of displacing our people and preventing the establishment of the Palestinian state on the 1967 lines with East Jerusalem as its capital."

President Abbas added: "For a year and a half, our people have been subjected to a horrific destructive catastrophe and a war of genocide that has claimed the lives of 160,000 martyrs and wounded, and the destruction of more than 70% of the homes and facilities in the Gaza Strip. We have also witnessed persistent attempts to displace our people from Gaza and impose new facts on the ground."

The President continued, "We reiterate our firm position in confronting the displacement plans, which we have rejected and which the majority of the world's countries have rejected with us. We also affirm and work to consolidate the ceasefire, ensure the flow of humanitarian aid, have the State of Palestine assume its responsibilities and tasks in the Gaza Strip, and preserve the territorial integrity of the State of Palestine, noting that the Authority's crews have begun their work at the Rafah and Kerem Shalom crossings."

President Abbas addressed the issue of the occupation's attempts to undermine the work of UNRWA, saying: We reaffirm the role of UNRWA as an irreplaceable international organization, and the necessity of preventing the occupation from undermining it.

The President added, "We also renew our absolute rejection of all Israeli practices, including settlement, theft of our land, and attacks on our people and our holy sites in the West Bank and Jerusalem."

He pointed out that at a time when the occupation deliberately undermines our efforts to impose the rule of law in Jenin and other areas, where our security services were about to complete their mission, we affirm that our security services will continue their missions to preserve security and stability, despite the Israeli obstacles to their missions.

The President called for the necessity of serious action to implement the two-state solution and end the occupation in cooperation with brothers and friends, on the basis of international legitimacy resolutions and the Arab Peace Initiative. We are also working in this regard in all international forums and courts, and with the Global Alliance and the Arab-Islamic Committee in order to mobilize international support for implementing the two-state solution, preserving the legitimate rights of our people, international recognition of the State of Palestine and obtaining its full membership in the United Nations, and holding the International Peace Conference in New York City in June under the joint presidency of Saudi Arabia and France.

President Abbas said: We reiterate here and everywhere that the Palestine Liberation Organization is the sole legitimate representative of our people, and that the unity of our internal front, strengthening the steadfastness of our people, and staying away from destructive outbidding are the basis for the steadfastness of our national project and saving it from liquidation.

The President noted that the reform program that the Palestinian government is working on is a necessity and a national interest, and we must all support it to ensure improving the performance of its national institutions, enhancing confidence in them, improving the services provided to citizens, most notably health and education, advancing the national economy, empowering women and youth, working with civil society institutions, unions, syndicates and the private sector, enhancing justice, transparency, integrity and accountability, the rule of law and expanding social protection.

He called for strengthening the national front in these critical circumstances that our cause is going through, saying: “We must all work together to strengthen our national front, preserve the PLO as the sole legitimate representative, thwart any meetings, conferences or attempts to create alternative or parallel frameworks, protect the Palestinian cause and strengthen the steadfastness of our people at home and abroad. Sanctions must be imposed on anyone who participates in these meetings and conferences without obtaining official permission.”

The President added: "We must support the steadfastness of all segments of our people, which will strengthen the internal front. We reiterate that we are proud of the sacrifices of the martyrs, prisoners, and wounded, and we feel the suffering and sacrifices of the refugees at home and abroad. It is our responsibility to return the displaced in Gaza, Jenin, Tulkarm, and Tubas to their homes and provide them with shelter and services."

He continued: "The Israeli aggression on our people has had additional repercussions, which have placed new responsibilities before us, which we are working to include in our economic and social support programs. In the Gaza Strip, 160,000 people were killed and injured, thousands of families are homeless, thousands of children have lost their families, 350,000 families have lost everything and need assistance, in addition to 250,000 workers who have lost their jobs, which requires serious consideration to support all these groups and strengthen their steadfastness."

President Abbas added, "We have established a comprehensive social protection and care system, and amended some laws to secure the needs of all affected categories of Palestinian families who need empowerment and assistance in Palestine. This system will work to preserve their dignity and material needs, and we hope that everyone will trust us."

Following the President's speech, reports will be presented by the Revolutionary Council and members of the Central Committee of the Fatah Movement.

During the three days of the session, the comprehensive aggression that our people are being subjected to in the Gaza Strip, the West Bank and Jerusalem will be discussed, as well as the ongoing political movements, in addition to examining national issues and a number of internal issues of the movement.

Hamas spokesman Dr. Abdul Latif Al-Qanou stated that the movement is waiting for the Israeli occupation to implement all the provisions of the humanitarian protocol, stressing Hamas’ readiness to complete the implementation of the agreement in all its stages in a way that achieves its demands.

Al-Qanou accused the occupation of using internationally banned weapons against the Palestinian people, while demanding the disarmament of the legitimate resistance, stressing the need to form international committees to investigate the use of these weapons.

Al-Qanou' stressed Hamas's commitment to the ceasefire agreement as long as the occupation adheres to it, noting that the second phase negotiations have not yet practically begun, but the movement is ready to engage in them in accordance with what is stipulated in the agreement.

In a related context, Al-Qanou accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of procrastinating in implementing the second phase of the ceasefire agreement.

The Egyptian presidency said on Thursday evening that the Riyadh meeting scheduled for tomorrow, Friday, will discuss the Palestinian issue with the participation of the leaders of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan.

This came in a statement by the Egyptian presidency, stating that President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi arrived in Riyadh on Thursday, on an indefinite visit.

The presidency said that Sisi arrived in Riyadh "to participate in an informal meeting on the Palestinian issue, with the participation of the leaders of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, the Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Jordan," without further details.

Earlier on Thursday, the official Saudi Press Agency revealed that a meeting will be held between the leaders of the Gulf states, Egypt and Jordan in Riyadh tomorrow, Friday, at the invitation of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.

Quoting an unnamed "official" source, the agency said, "At the invitation of Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, he will meet in Riyadh on Friday with the leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, the King of Jordan and the President of Egypt."

She said that the meeting was "brotherly, informal" and came within the context of "special friendly meetings that have been held periodically for many years" between the leaders of the Gulf Cooperation Council, Egypt and Jordan.

She pointed out that the upcoming meeting will be "within the framework of the close fraternal relations that bring together the leaders and that contribute to enhancing cooperation and coordination between the GCC countries, Jordan and Egypt."

She stressed that any decisions regarding joint Arab action will be issued "on the agenda of the upcoming emergency Arab summit" hosted by Egypt next March.

Egypt announced on Tuesday that it has set March 4 as the new date for the emergency Arab summit on developments in Palestine, instead of February 27, for “preparatory and logistical” reasons.

Since January 25, US President Donald Trump has been promoting a plan to displace Palestinians from Gaza to neighboring countries such as Egypt and Jordan, which was rejected by both countries, and was joined by other Arab countries and regional and international organizations.

Egypt is working to formulate and propose a comprehensive Arab plan to rebuild Gaza without displacing Palestinians from it, for fear of liquidating the Palestinian cause through displacement.

A child was injured by live bullets, Thursday evening, during the Israeli occupation forces’ storming of the village of Shabtin, northwest of Ramallah.

The head of the Shabtin village council, Ibrahim Yaqoub, explained that the occupation forces shot a 15-year-old child directly without any confrontations taking place, which led to him being injured in one of his legs with live bullets, after which he was transferred to the hospital.

Yaqoub pointed out that the occupation soldiers assaulted citizens in two homes, after raiding them and destroying their contents.