Fatah accuses Hamas of sacrificing Palestinian interests for Iran

Fatah, the ruling authority in the West Bank, has criticized Hamas for aligning itself with Iran, accusing the group of jeopardizing Palestinian interests and resources.

"Hamas sacrificed the interests of the Palestinian people for Iran and caused destruction in the Gaza Strip, to replicate its actions in the West Bank," Fatah said on Saturday, stressing its determination not to let Hamas repeat the same scenario in the West Bank as the war in Gaza rages on in the wake of the group's October 7, 2023 attacks on Israel.

The statement also underscored Fatah's resolve to prevent Hamas from spreading its influence into the West Bank, where the group remains a significant rival to Fatah’s Palestinian Authority.

As part of its strategy to consolidate control, Fatah has been ramping up security operations, particularly in Jenin, which has become a stronghold for armed factions, including Iran-backed Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ).

The Palestinian Authority's growing military presence is a signal that it will not tolerate Hamas-like governance in the West Bank, particularly given the ongoing unrest in Gaza. It is also a sign to the incoming Trump administration that it has control over the contested territory.

Fatah holds Hamas directly responsible for the devastating consequences of the October 7 attack, which left approximately 1,200 Israelis dead and triggered a massive Israeli military response.

The Israeli strikes have resulted in more than 46,000 Palestinian deaths in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry.

In turn, tens of thousands of Palestinians in the West Bank have since been banned from entering Israel for work, and the economy has been left in ruins since the outbreak of war.

"Hamas is now attempting to stir security chaos in the West Bank, thereby continuing its policy that brought disaster upon the Palestinian people," Fatah added.

Israel’s Defense Minister said on Tuesday that Iran is pivoting toward arming Palestinian militants in the occupied West Bank following the downfall of Tehran’s ally Bashar al-Assad in Syria.

"Judea and Samaria has become a central arena in the map of threats to Israel and we are preparing to respond accordingly," Katz said, using the Biblical names for lands on the west bank of Jordan River which Israel seized in a 1967 war.

"We are seeing increasing efforts to promote Palestinian terrorism in Israel through the smuggling of advanced weapons, funding and guidance both on the part of the Iranian axis and on the part of the radical Sunni Islamic axis that is strengthening its grip on the region after the events in Syria,” he added.