2020 may have been a devastating year for Palestine, but a closer look would allow us to see it as an opportunity for a whole new Palestinian political discourse.

As part of our wrap-up of 2020 Yumna Patel spoke to Ramallah-based analyst Diana Buttu about one of the biggest stories of 2020 — normalization. Buttu discusses the impact of the normalization deals between Arab countries and Israel, the Palestine Authority’s strategy (or lack thereof) in confronting the threat, and the challenges that lie ahead in 2021.

Earlier this week residents of Hebron staged protests against the Palestinian Authority (PA) over renewed COVID-19 lockdowns across the West Bank, sparking clashes and confrontations between armed civilians and PA security forces.

Dr. Hanan Ashrawi resigned from the PLO, calling for reform within the Palestinian political system. Nada Elia says her call is already being met by the next generation of vibrant Palestinian leaders, but they are far outside the system Ashrawi is looking to revive.

The cash-strapped Palestinian Authority (PA) finally accepted over $1 billion in tax revenues, transferred by Israel on Tuesday. While Israel has refused to release the tax revenues in the past, the PA itself had been refusing to accept the money since May of this year, in protest of Israel’s annexation plans and US President Donald Trump’s “deal of the century.”

For Palestinians, Biden is better than Trump, no doubt. But is he good enough? What matters now is Palestinian internal unity and developing a sound strategy different from the one the Palestinian Authority has thus far embraced and which led to multiple failures and crises.

Palestinians, like many other people around the globe, have largely settled into a new reality, accepting COVID-19 as an unfortunate reality, but a reality they must live with nonetheless. That is, until this week.

PA officials announced on Tuesday that they received assurances that Israel was “committed” to upholding its end of agreements with the Palestinians, and that the decision to resume coordination was made following “international talks” being conducted by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. There is speculation that the impending change in U.S. administrations, along with the severe financial pressure the Palestinian Authority finds itself under, is what motivated Palestinian leadership to resume relations with Israel.

Elections in the U.S. can have massive impacts across the world. So, what do the recent results mean for us in Gaza?

Saeb Erekat, 65, chief Palestinian negotiator and longtime leader in the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), passed away on Tuesday following a month-long battle with COVID-19.