Palestinian Authority Official Predicts Trump Will “Destroy Iran,” Breaking Down Hamas Cells
A Palestinian Authority (PA) official, Mohammad Hamdan, secretary-general of the PA’s ruling Fatah Party, recently predicted that President-elect Donald Trump will “destroy Iran” and weaken Tehran’s influence, which would effectively break down remaining Hamas terror cells.
Hamdan made the comments to the New York Post on December 19 during a meeting with other top PA leaders in Nablus, about an hour south of the West Bank city of Jenin, where PA forces have launched security operations against armed extremists aligned with Hamas.
“We are confronting Hamas’ ideology. Our problem is with Hamas’ link to regimes outside Palestine,” Hamdan told the Post, referencing Iran specifically.
He added, “We see that Trump and the ruling government in Israel are planning to destroy Iran, so Hamas followers will have no other choice than to become Palestinian.”
The comments come as PA forces have been battling Hamas-linked extremists in the West Bank, with at least three security force members killed and dozens arrested since December 6, when a group of over a dozen extremists stole two PA vehicles and paraded them through the streets of Jenin while waving Hamas and ISIS flags.
The PA is backed by the US and other Western governments, while Hamas is backed by Iran and other regional powers. Fatah has suffered a major defeat in the 2006 election, resulting in Hamas seizing control of the Gaza Strip and launching repeated attacks on Israel.
The PA has also been positioning itself to resume governance of Gaza once the war ends, and Hamdan has expressed support for the PA’s security operations in the West Bank.
However, many analysts warn that the PA’s opposition to Hamas may be more of a tactical maneuver to gain leverage in post-war negotiations, rather than a genuine commitment to combating terrorism. Additionally, some view the PA’s links to the US and other Western powers as problematic, citing the US support for Israel and other regional powers.
The comments from Hamdan come as Israel continues to crack down on Hamas in the Gaza Strip, which has seen the death of over 1,200 people and the capture of over 250 hostages since October 7, 2023.
