Palestinians have no real democratic representatives: the leadership lacks legitimacy

The Palestinian struggle for liberation and independence has always been tied to the fight for democratic representation. However, the current reality reveals a painful truth: Palestinians, both inside Palestine and in the diaspora, lack a legitimate democratic leadership that truly represents them. The Palestinian Authority (PA), established under the Oslo Accords, has lost its legitimacy, while the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), which was founded on 28 May, 1964, to represent all Palestinians, no longer enjoys broad popular support. Instead, its legitimacy is mostly derived from Arab and international recognition rather than an authentic reflection of the popular will.

The last Palestinian legislative election was held on 25 January, 2006. It resulted in a sweeping victory for Hamas in both the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. However, this democratic outcome was not accepted by the PA and its backers. Instead, it was met with political and economic sanctions led by international and regional powers, culminating in an internal Palestinian split that persists to this day. Since then, no legislative or presidential elections have taken place, creating a political vacuum and an ongoing crisis of legitimacy.

The response to the 2006 election was effectively a coup against democracy.

According to the Palestinian Basic Law, Mahmoud Abbas’s term as president ended on 9 January, 2009. The law stipulates that the Speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) should have temporarily assumed the presidency until a new election could take place. That process was never implemented. Instead, Abbas has clung to power without a popular mandate, relying on regional and international backing to maintain his rule. Yet another coup against democracy.

Despite being formed as an umbrella body for Palestinians, after decades of decline the PLO no longer represents all components of the Palestinian people. Today, the organisation is dominated by Fatah, while excluding major political forces such as Hamas and Islamic Jihad. Moreover, it has failed to implement institutional reforms that address the aspirations of new generations of Palestinians, both at home and abroad.

True legitimacy for any political leadership under occupation derives from its ability to lead a comprehensive liberation project.

However, after signing the Oslo Accords, the PLO abandoned its role in spearheading resistance, focusing instead on administrative tasks and security coordination with the occupation state of Israel. This shift has eroded its popular legitimacy, even as it continues to be recognised by the United Nations and many governments as the official, sole representative of the Palestinian people.

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Rather than serving as a legitimate governing body, the Palestinian Authority has morphed into a system akin to a closed enterprise, managed by a handful of influential figures and their relatives. Surrounding them is a network of beneficiaries who do not hesitate to undertake whatever questionable roles they are tasked with in order to preserve their privileges, even if it means acting as de facto agents for the Israeli occupation.

In many cases, the PA’s primary function has become security coordination with Israel.

It suppresses legitimate Palestinian resistance, and ensures stability that benefits the occupation rather than the Palestinian people. This reality has turned the PA into part of the problem rather than part of the solution, with its chief function reduced to crisis management instead of seeking genuine remedies that reflect the Palestinian people’s aspirations for freedom, justice and dignity.

Amid this deep crisis, several political initiatives have emerged aiming to rebuild Palestinian representation on more democratic and inclusive foundations. These include the Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroad, established in 2017, which seeks to represent Palestinians in the diaspora, as well as the ongoing Palestinian National Conference, which aims to establish a unified leadership to confront the occupation.

These efforts represent serious attempts to break the monopoly of the PA and the PLO over Palestinian representation and to pave the way for new political structures that truly express the will of the people. This push for alternative leadership comes at a time when Israel has escalated its genocide and ethnic cleansing to unprecedented levels, with direct support from Washington under the extremist Donald Trump and, more or less indirectly, from complicit Arab governments.

The current status quo cannot continue.

As it stands now, the Palestinian Authority has effectively become one of the occupation’s tools rather than a body striving for liberation. Hence, Palestinians everywhere must rally behind alternative political projects that aim to rebuild Palestinian representation on genuinely democratic foundations that reflect the people’s will and effectively challenge the occupation.

Remaining silent in the face of this political catastrophe is a betrayal of the Palestinian people, and complicity with this corrupt system is no less dangerous than complicity with the occupation itself. What is needed now is not superficial reforms, but a political revolution that redefines the Palestinian national project, ensuring that future leadership is elected democratically and genuinely represents the aspirations of Palestinians both inside the homeland and in the diaspora.

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The views expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of Middle East Monitor.