Hamas Influence Looms Over "Palestinian National Conference"
The Palestinian National Conference is a new initiative aiming to revitalize the PLO. Yet concerns over individuals with Hamas ties raise doubts about its direction and impact on Palestinian politics
In February 2025, the Palestinian National Conference convened in Doha, Qatar, bringing together nearly 400 Palestinian figures to discuss the future of Palestinian politics and the revitalization of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). However, the participation in the conference of individuals tied to Hamas raises serious concerns over its direction and potential impact on Palestinian politics.
A Conference with Ambitious Goals
The Palestinian National Conference was designed as a platform to address the internal divisions within Palestinian politics and restore the legitimacy of the PLO. With over 1,500 Palestinian public figures endorsing the conference, the ostensible aim was to build a more democratic and inclusive framework that could represent the Palestinian people across all factions and political spectrums. This effort comes after years of fragmentation, with Palestinian leadership failing to achieve national unity and leaving the Palestinian cause fragmented on the global stage.
Involvement of Hamas-Affiliated Figures
Among the attendees was Zaher Birawi, a Hamas operative based in Europe, whose involvement in the conference has drawn significant attention. Birawi, who was designated by the Israeli Ministry of Defense as a prominent Hamas member, has been a key figure in pro-Hamas advocacy and has coordinated several controversial flotillas attempting to reach Gaza. His participation in the conference signals the influence that Hamas may have had in shaping the event.
Birawi’s presence at the conference highlights an ongoing dilemma within Palestinian politics: the challenge of reconciling the leadership aspirations of political factions like Fatah with the militant agenda of Hamas. The Fatah movement, which currently holds significant sway over the PLO, has long been at odds with Hamas, and its leaders have expressed strong disapproval of the conference’s direction. They view the participation of Hamas-linked figures like Birawi as an attempt to reshape Palestinian leadership to include more militant elements, rather than focusing on democratic and inclusive reforms.
Another participant at the conference was Ziad El-Aloul, an alleged Hamas operative in Europe who is an official at the Palestinian Forum in Britain and the Hamas-designated Popular Conference for Palestinians Abroa. El-Aloul has marched alongside Jeremy Corbyn in pro-Hamas demonstrations in London and has publicly celebrated the October 7th attacks, describing them as a "moment of glory" and the beginning of a "bright era" for Palestine.
In Jan 2023, El-Aloul was part of a delegation to Lebanon that included numerous terror officials from UK-designated terrorist groups Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), as well as officials from the U.S.-designated Popular Front for the Liberation Palestine (PFLP). He was also pictured next to Ahmed Abd al-Hadi, a Hamas representative in Lebanon.
A Broader Network of Hamas Affiliates Involved with the Conference
A deeper look into the conference reveals that it has further ties with Hamas-affiliated individuals that operate in Europe. In July, 2024, a Zoom meeting was held with Palestinian figures residing in the Netherlands to discuss preparations for participation in the Palestinian National Conference.
Attendees of the meeting included Ahmad Skineh and Ayman Nejmeh, both of whom have notable ties to groups allegedly affiliated with Hamas in Europe, according to the Jerusalem Post. Skineh has long been involved with multiple pro-Hamas organizations, such as the Palestinian Return Centre in the UK and the European Palestinian Council for Political Relations. Both organizations have been linked to Hamas operatives and are associated with U.S. designated Hamas officials.
The European Leadership Network (ELNET), reported that Palestinian Group in the Netherlands (PGNL), which Skineh and Nejmeh are connected to, forms part of a broader Hamas-affiliated network in Europe. For years, PGNL was led by Amin Abu-Rashid, a designated Hamas official who was arrested by Dutch authorities in mid-2023 on charges of transferring funds to Hamas.
ELNET also notes that PGNL has organized numerous pro-Hamas protests in the Netherlands and hosted high-profile Hamas events, including a 2007 video conference with former Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and a 2016 event honoring Hamas founder Sheikh Ahmed Yassin.
Following Abu-Rashid’s arrest, PGNL is now led by Ayman Nejmeh, who was featured in an exposé by the Network Contagion Research Institute (NCRI) as an administrator of one of PGNL’s instant messaging groups.
In November 2024, it was reported that PGNL allegedly played a key role in organizing violent anti-Israel protests in Amsterdam, which escalated into a pogrom targeting Israeli soccer fans. The protest, described as a "direct clash" with Israel, led to well-coordinated violence, including stun grenades and assaults on Israeli fans.
On his Facebook profile, Nejmeh had previously described himself as a former teacher with the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), although he has since removed this affiliation for reasons that remain unclear. Despite distancing himself from UNRWA, Nejmeh has posted pro-Hamas content in the past, including an image of a militant from the al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas.
Hamas-Affiliated Figures Defining Palestinian Unity?
As the Palestinian National Conference continues to attempt to rebuild the PLO and restore unity, its efforts are called into question as individuals with alleged ties to Hamas hold influence in its organization. While it presents itself as seeking reform, the involvement of these figures represents a shift toward a more radical agenda.
The conference highlights the deep divide within Palestinian politics. Whether it will be remembered as a pivotal moment for reform or a dangerous turn toward extremism depends on how much influence terror-tied figures exercise over the direction of the organization.
Lol yeah, a supremacist state doing open genocide will do that