PA arrests Gaza governor contender Samir Hulileh amid political tensions - report
The Palestinian Authority’s security apparatus arrested businessman Samir Hulileh in Ramallah, Palestinian media reported on Wednesday. Hulileh has been mentioned as a potential candidate for the position of Gaza governor in the post-war period.
A Palestinian source told Kan News that Hulileh had recently returned from a business trip to Jordan.
According to the report, Hulileh was arrested at a restaurant in the al-Tira neighborhood of the city. Recently, multiple reports have named him as a leading candidate to assume control of the Gaza Strip, as American and Israeli lobbyists with ties to the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly support him.
The Palestinian Authority has previously expressed anger over reports of his candidacy and condemned his public statements to the media.
In an interview with Kan News last month, Hulileh criticized the Palestinian Authority, saying it "needs to open the door to the possibility of reviving the Gaza Strip."
"The Authority is a very weak actor and has failed to fulfill its role or prove itself in recent times," he said. His criticism also extended to Hamas, stating that together with the Authority, they "must think about the interests of the Palestinian people."
"They have a major responsibility to agree to hand over their weapons. If they refuse to do so, it will make reconstruction and stability in Gaza much more difficult," he added.
Anastasia Stukanov is a KAN 11 News correspondent.
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