How Hamas plans to win the Palestinian elections

Prof. Kobi Michael: I don’t believe the P.A. will hold elections unless something happens in Gaza and Hamas is out.

Fatah may have won ‘on paper,’ but the reality is more complex. In many municipalities, clan-based lists came out on top. In cities such as Hebron and Tulkarm, local lists unaffiliated with the P.A. prevailed. In others, lists may have bore Fatah’s name, but the candidates themselves were not “publicly recognized as active Fatah members or genuine supporters of the movement.

Most important, Hamas boycotted the elections, unwilling to agree to the precondition that it recognize the PLO’s sole legitimate authority.

The full interview was published in JNS on August 27, 2026.

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