According to Yedioth Ahronoth, various political and security figures within the Israeli occupation are discussing the idea of transforming areas under the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank into separate regions. This would effectively dismantle the current structure of the Palestinian Authority led by Mahmoud Abbas, granting each Palestinian city special powers of its own.
The newspaper pointed out that this experiment is set to begin in a city like Hebron, where a local leadership will be established to manage the area, under the oversight of the Israeli government and military.
The report also mentioned that several discussions concerning the West Bank and its future status were held with Emiratis during a visit by the head of the West Bank Settlements Council, Yisrael Gantz. He was received by Ali Rashid Al Nuaimi, Chairman of the Defense, Interior, and Foreign Affairs Committee of the UAE Federal National Council, at an iftar dinner.
Gantz stated that the current period “holds historic opportunities that should not be missed,” adding that “the new global system requires new alliances and thinking outside the box” during a meeting with Al Nuaimi, businessmen, influencers, and the Israeli ambassador to the UAE, Yossi Shelley.
The report highlighted that despite the lack of details about the discussions, the meeting between settler leaders and Emirati officials was significant. They are attempting to create a situation where future peace agreements or normalization efforts would not require the evacuation of settlements in the West Bank.
The newspaper noted that “Arab country representatives aim to establish a Palestinian state, but behind the scenes, they recognize that the Palestinian Authority faces a serious problem. Its image is that of a corrupt entity that marginalizes Palestinians and is primarily concerned with maintaining its own rule.” This was the point where the Emiratis connected with the settler leaders in the West Bank.
The article further emphasized that the Emiratis initiated the meeting with the settler leaders because “they realized that they constitute a significant force in the current government.”
It was pointed out that the settler leaders began to establish relationships with the UAE, especially in the commercial sector, during Trump’s first term. Their goal was to dispel the notion that any normalization with Saudi Arabia or deepening relations with Abu Dhabi would lead to the evacuation of settlements or the creation of a Palestinian state. The settlers’ move is seen as an effort to bypass Benjamin Netanyahu, showing him that they have a direct channel to the Gulf, independent of him.
