Since the start of Israel’s war on Gaza, much has been written about how Palestinians are fragmented and demobilised – how their leadership is missing in action. At the heart of this problem is the Palestinian Authority (PA), which was created in 1994 after the signing of the Oslo accords. The PA, which helps Israel coordinate its highly unpopular “security” regime in the West Bank, is supported and funded by the US and its allies. Its leadership, quite frankly, is seen as unaccountable by ordinary Palestinians.
Mahmoud Abbas, the chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) and the president of the PA, is almost 90 years old. He was elevated by his close ties to the US and willingness to stick to the Oslo framework during the second Palestinian intifada. He remains in his position despite overstaying term limits and his deep unpopularity. Indeed, this lack of popularity has only got worse since October 2023, as Palestinians have been outraged by Abbas’s inability to rise to the occasion and resolve the catastrophe unfolding in Gaza.
