The November elections are approaching, and the results may very well have a profound impact on the future security of the State of Israel. However, the date of the election, the identity of the candidates, and even the identity of the people given the right to vote are all a matter of vain speculation, as the Shura Council of Hamas in Gaza has no intention of making any of this public. Yes, Hamas is about to choose a new leader, at a time and place and in a manner of its own choosing.
Among the contenders, it can be reasonably assumed, are the frontrunners Yahya Sinwar, Khaled Mashal, and Ismail Haniya. Yahya Sinwar is the current head of Hamas in Gaza, and enjoys the support of Egypt, for what it’s worth. Khaled Mashal was Hamas’ bureau chief until 2017, and is widely believed to be hoping to make a political comeback. He has support from elements in Qatar as well as Turkey, the two main foreign sources of funding and assistance for Hamas. Another likely contender is Ismail Haniyeh, the current chairman of Hamas’ Political Bureau, who also enjoys Turkish support and has the added benefit of connections in Iran. Another possible contender is Haniyeh’s current deputy, Saleh El-Arouri.
At the same time, elections are to be held for leadership positions in all of Hamas’ institutions in Gaza.
But don’t expect updates, election pitches, campaign funding, or anything else the democratic world considers par for the course. The Hamas Shura Council runs everything in silence and secrecy, not even publicizing the date of the vote or the list of those standing for office. The Council’s representatives are drawn from within Gaza, and also from Palestinian enclaves in Judea and Samaria, leaders in exile, and others in Israeli prisons. Eventually a new leader will emerge; eventually we’ll find out what his name is, and whether he will lead Hamas in a new direction in light of recent developments in the Middle East.
Yisrael Hayom contributed to this article.