On October 7, the Palestinian-Israeli conflict entered a new phase following the attack carried out by Hamas on Israel and the subsequent devastating war on Gaza, which left thousands of victims, widespread destruction, displacement, and an unprecedented humanitarian crisis. However, the reading of October 7 should not stop at the moment of the event but should extend to its results and impacts on the cause and the national project. International attention has significantly shifted from the essence of the issue and the political rights of the Palestinian people to the war in Gaza, at a time when Israel exploited the event to expand its military operations. This does not justify the killing of civilians or collective punishment, nor does it absolve the occupation and settlement from being at the core of the conflict. In contrast, the results of the war reveal a significant Palestinian cost that is not limited to our human losses, destruction, and displacement but extends to the collapse of essential sectors, primarily education, health, and security, and the loss of our sense of safety and hope for the future. The war has also led to a dangerous geographical and security reality, with 70% of the Gaza Strip occupied, alongside the emergence of non-national armed groups. Here, the national question arises: Did the results of October 7 serve the Palestinian national project, or did they increase the cost of the conflict and weaken its ability to protect its land, decision, and future? Raising this question does not mean abandoning Palestinian rights or justifying the occupation; rather, it reflects a national responsibility that necessitates reviewing options, decisions, and their outcomes. Just as criticizing the results of October 7 does not mean justifying the occupation, rejecting the policies of occupation should not prevent us from courageously critiquing and reviewing our decisions. The war has confirmed the necessity of restoring the Palestinian national decision and strengthening its unity. Exceeding the Palestine Liberation Organization or making fateful decisions outside a comprehensive national framework weakens decision-making independence and gives the occupation an opportunity to transform the issue from a national liberation cause and political rights into a security or humanitarian file. Therefore, the priority today is to end the division, unify the national decision, and strengthen the Palestine Liberation Organization as the legitimate and sole representative of the national framework, and to rebuild national and security institutions on professional and legal bases, restricting arms by national decision and building a unified political strategy that protects the human, land, and cause. Palestine is greater than any faction and more enduring than any event; the roots of the conflict are not limited to October 7. The responsibility of the occupation does not diminish with the passage of events, but our national responsibility requires us to learn from experience and transform pain into political review that leads to what protects our people and preserves their land and rights. On the anniversary of October 7, the question remains: Can we make this tragedy the beginning of restoring unity of decision and the national project and rebuilding our institutions and society instead of it being a new station in the path of division and wars? The goal is not to manage crises but to end the occupation, achieve freedom and independence, and establish an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital.
