Palestinian political leadership is in a state of crisis. How did this come to be and what does the future hold? In this Focus On, we look back on several pieces authored by Al-Shabaka analysts which explore issues of Palestinian leadership in the past and present, and which propose concrete possibilities for future models that specifically engage youth.  

Gaza is in a state of total collapse. How has the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the challenges Palestinians in Gaza experience as a result of the ongoing Israeli occupation and political division in their leadership? Al-Shabaka member Ali Abdel-Wahab examines the impacts of these three factors on the lives of Gazans, and describes their strategies for confronting this reality. 

With current Palestinian governance facing a legitimacy crisis, Al-Shabaka convened an open-ended Policy Circle on Leadership and Accountability to elicit recommendations for a leadership that fully represents Palestinians, restores their unity, and respects their rights. Our experts suggest models ranging from a restructured PLO to a populist democracy represented by civil society organizations.