Nasser al-Qudwa, the nephew of late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat and a key figure in the Palestinian political establishment, has returned to the Palestinian Authority after four years in exile in France. His return comes after Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas granted him a pardon last week, allowing him to resume political activity within the Fatah movement, from which he had been sidelined since February 2021.
In an interview with Ynet, al-Qudwa said his main goal is to push for major reforms within the Palestinian Authority, fight corruption and restore public trust in its institutions. “Our mission is to regain the people’s trust. Without that, any other effort is meaningless,” he said.
A former member of Fatah’s Central Council, foreign minister, and head of the Arafat Foundation, al-Qudwa outlined a “road map” for peace in Gaza that includes transforming Hamas into a political party and reinstating the Palestinian Authority as the governing body of the enclave. “Annexing land without the people’s consent is madness,” he said. “It will only deepen the conflict and make life in the region unbearable. We need a policy based on truth, recognition of Palestinian rights, and coexistence.”
A senior Palestinian official told Ynet there is a real possibility al-Qudwa could be appointed as the Palestinian Authority’s governor of Gaza. “His return allows him to act legitimately, without crossing internal political lines or yielding to external pressures. He is seen as an acceptable figure by both Fatah reformists and several international actors, including France and the UAE,” the official said.
Gazans return home to Gaza. Will Arafat’s nephew be appointed governor?
Al-Qudwa’s political comeback marks not only the return of one of the most prominent voices in Palestinian politics but also underscores the urgent need for deep reform, both in Gaza and within the Palestinian Authority, as the future of Palestinian governance remains uncertain. The PA’s weakness, especially on the economic front, and Hamas’s continued control of Gaza have left the leadership at a crossroads after the war.
A Cairo-trained dentist and former activist in the Palestinian Student Union, al-Qudwa has built a long diplomatic career in the Palestinian Foreign Ministry and international organizations, including serving as a joint UN-Arab League envoy to Syria. His return is seen as a potential turning point in Palestinian politics, emphasizing grassroots engagement, an end to corruption, and the rebuilding of Fatah’s credibility with both Hamas and the international community.
Looking ahead, al-Qudwa said he plans to focus on restoring the Palestinian Authority’s central role in Gaza, combining internal leadership with international cooperation. “Without substantial reform, there can be no Palestinian state or genuine peace in the region,” he warned.
First published: 15:04, 10.16.25