The UK has signed a “Memorandum of Understanding” with the Palestinian Authority in a bid to further the PA’s plan to seize control of the Gaza Strip.
This development occurred when the UK government recently hosted Palestinian Authority (PA) Prime Minister Mohammad Mustafa in London, marking the first official PA prime ministerial visit since 2021.
The visit culminated in the signing of a “Memorandum of Understanding,” which underscored the UK’s continued support for a two-state solution and the UK’s commitment to the eventual recognition of a Palestinian state.
However, the memorandum also emphasised that only the PA remains the sole “legitimate governing entity” in all of the Palestinian territories.
According to the UK government, this visit reflected their “steadfast support for the Palestinian Authority and the Palestinian people at a critical juncture in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.”
The UK also announced a £101 million funding package, aimed at providing humanitarian relief and supporting the PA’s reform agenda, a move the UK described as reinforcing “Palestinian statehood as part of a two-state solution.”
The signing of the memorandum was framed as a positive step towards achieving long-term peace and security in the Middle East.
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However, closer scrutiny raises questions about the motivations behind the UK’s actions and the potential implications for Palestinian self-determination.
PA seeking control of Gaza
The language used in the memorandum indicates a strategy to solidify the PA’s authority, particularly its aim to “reunify Gaza and the West Bank under its authority.”
While this may sound like a call for Palestinian unity, others may raise questions about whether No.10 is empowering one Palestinian faction which aligns with western priorities rather than the needs and aspirations of the Palestinian people.
The memorandum explicitly emphasises that “the Palestinian Authority is the only legitimate governing entity in the Occupied Palestinian Territories,” effectively sidelining other Palestinian factions, such as Hamas, in Gaza.
UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy stated: “The UK is clear that there can be no role for Hamas in the future of Gaza.”
On April 23, PA leader, Mahmoud Abbas, launched a strongly worded attack on Hamas, calling the group “sons of dogs” in a fiery speech in which he demanded the group release the hostages it is still holding, disarm, and hand over control of Gaza in order to end the war with Israel.
The president of the Palestinian Authority told a meeting in the occupied West Bank that Hamas had given Israel “excuses” to continue its attacks on Gaza, and told it to “release the hostages and be done with it.”
In response, a senior Hamas official, Osama Hamdan, called Abbas the “father of dogs” in a rival speech on April 26.
Amid negotiations for an end to the war between Gaza and Israel, efforts have been made to return leadership of Gaza to the PA.
Some Arab states and the PA itself have reportedly been lobbying the U.S. to help force Hamas out of political control of Gaza in any deal.
The PA has long been criticised by some elements within the pro-Palestine movement for its collaboration with Israeli authorities, often compromising Palestinian sovereignty for the sake of their own political survival.
After Hamas won the Palestinian legislative elections on 25 January 2006, a national unity government was formed. However, this government effectively collapsed with the outbreak of a violent conflict between Hamas and Fatah which led to the armed takeover of the Gaza Strip by Hamas on 14 June 2007.
The PA has not recovered control of the Strip since.
Political leverage
Foreign aid has long been known as a deal that comes with strings attached and grants the providing country economic leverage over the recipient country.
This aid, rather than addressing the immediate needs of the Palestinian people, risks being used to further entrench the PA’s dependency on Western donors.
The UK’s press release noted that the support will specifically help “strengthen Palestinian Authority governance and reform” rather than simply strengthening Palestine or the Palestinian people as a whole.
The UK has additionally promised to focus on reforms that enhance “governance transparency” and “financial sustainability” whilst continuing to work “even more closely with the Palestinian Authority.”
Hamas is currently a proscribed terror group in the UK, and expressing support, being a member, or inviting someone to join the group could result in a lengthy prison sentence.
The UK is a long-time ally of Israel and has continued to support Israel despite the ongoing genocide in Gaza.
