The Challenge of a “New PA”: Can the Palestinian Authority Truly Be Reformed?

A central pillar of the U.S. peace plan for Gaza rests on a monumental challenge: the creation of a “New PA,” a reformed and revitalized Palestinian Authority capable of governing effectively. The deep disagreement over whether this is even possible will be a primary focus of the talks between President Trump and Prime Minister Netanyahu.
The U.S. and its Arab allies believe that with sufficient international support and pressure, the Palestinian Authority can undergo a significant transformation. This would involve rooting out corruption, establishing transparent institutions, reforming its security forces, and crucially, changing an educational and political culture that is often seen as hostile to Israel’s existence.
This vision of a “New PA” is the only long-term, non-extremist governance option that the international community sees for the Palestinians. The hope is that such a body could eventually govern both the West Bank and Gaza, reviving the prospect of a two-state solution.
Prime Minister Netanyahu, however, views this prospect with extreme prejudice. He sees the PA as irredeemable, pointing to its past failures and its current policies, such as providing payments to the families of terrorists. In his view, a “New PA” is a dangerous fiction, and handing it control of Gaza would be repeating a grave historical mistake.
President Trump will need to present Netanyahu with a credible and detailed roadmap for how this transformation would occur. He will need to offer robust guarantees and verification mechanisms to convince the Israeli leader that this time would be different. Without a believable answer to the challenge of PA reform, the entire long-term vision of the U.S. plan falls apart.