Only clans can govern Gaza after Hamas disarmed, NCAG will fail, MidEast expert says - interview
Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.
At a glance
Interview
Named sources
Context piece
- A Middle East scholar argues that only clan-based local authorities can effectively govern Gaza after Hamas is disarmed, not the US-backed NCAG.
- Dr. Mordechai Kedar proposes an "emirate-style system" where dominant local families rule independent districts, citing Gulf states as successful examples.
- Kedar criticizes the NCAG and US plans for Gaza as disconnected from regional realities, calling them "dreams" and "hallucinations."
The proposed National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG) will fail because only local clans can effectively govern the Palestinian territory, according to Dr. Mordechai Kedar, a Middle East scholar specializing in Islamic affairs. Speaking to The Jerusalem Post, Kedar advocated for an "emirate-style system" where dominant local families or clans would govern independent districts within Gaza and parts of the West Bank.
Only the clans can run Gaza. But for this, you have to get rid of Hamas first.
Kedar, who has long promoted his "Palestinian Emirates Plan," believes that vast cultural differences between Palestinian cities make a centralized government unfeasible. He pointed to successful clan-based systems in Gulf states like Kuwait, Qatar, and Dubai as evidence that this model fosters stability and prosperity. "The clan system is the only system which works well in the Arab world," he stated.
the clan system is “the only system which works well in the Arab world.”
However, Kedar expressed uncertainty about the immediate next steps for Gaza given the extensive destruction and displacement following the Israel-Hamas War. He described the NCAG, formed under the US President Donald Trump's Board of Peace, as a "dream" detached from Middle Eastern realities. Kedar further dismissed Trump's plans for Gaza as "hallucinations," particularly the idea of an evacuated Strip, stating it would never be realized.
Trump has many dreams which are as far as possible from the reality of the Middle East.
Despite the challenges in Gaza, Kedar reiterated his strong support for the Palestinian Emirates Plan for the West Bank. He noted that local Palestinian leaders, especially in Hebron, are beginning to consider this option as a potential solution for governance, particularly in light of the ongoing conflict and the possibility of a future Palestinian state.
He once dreamt about evacuating Gaza and having Gaza empty. He can dream about this. It will be one of his dreams which will never be realized.
DistantNews Editorial
Originally published by Jerusalem Post. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.
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