UN, EU and World Bank call for unified Gaza-West Bank administration

The United Nations, the European Union and the World Bank have called for the Palestinian Authority to have a postwar role in Gaza in an administration united with the West Bank.

The three bodies released a postwar recovery strategy Wednesday that provided few details on how the war-ravaged territory would be governed or rebuilt.

It said Gaza and the West Bank should be “unified politically, economically and administratively.” It said there should be no lasting Israeli military presence in the territory but that “Israel’s legitimate security concerns must be addressed.”

The nearly yearlong war, ignited by Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack into Israel, is still raging with no end in sight.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ruled out any role for the Palestinian Authority in Gaza and is opposed to the creation of a Palestinian state.

He has suggested that postwar Gaza be governed by local Palestinians with no ties to Hamas or the PA, with Israel maintaining lasting security control.

The World Bank in January estimated that the war has caused some $18.5 billion in damage in Gaza, and that was before several months of large-scale Israeli military operations and bombardment.

Gulf Arab countries have said they will only contribute to Gaza’s reconstruction and postwar governance as part of a plan for an eventual Palestinian state.