Can Fatah’s Democratic Reform faction handle peace with both Israel and Hamas?

Prof. Kobi Michael: It may do this by forming a new party, not under the name of Hamas, or by allying with Dahlan.

To participate in the elections, a party needs to recognize the Palestine Liberation Organization as the sole legitimate representative of the Palestinian people and be a Palestinian citizen with permanent residency in the Palestinian territories. Hamas does not recognize the PLO’s authority, partially because it rejects recognition of the Israeli state, and Dahlan is a resident of the United Arab Emirates, not the Palestinian territories, making the issue of their running all the more complicated.

Published in The Jerusalem Post, September  05, 2026. 

*The opinions expressed in Misgav publications are the authors’ alone.