Samir Hulileh, whose planned appointment as governor of Gaza in the aftermath of the war was revealed by Shomrim and Yedioth Ahronoth about a month ago, was arrested on Wednesday in Ramallah by the Palestinian Authority’s Preventive Security apparatus. Shomrim has learned that the arrest warrant was likely issued by the office of PA President Mahmoud Abbas.

Hulileh received threats from the PA immediately after the plan for post-war Gaza—where he was assigned a central role—was published in Israel and across the world. He left Ramallah for Jordan and in recent weeks had been staying in Amman. Earlier this week he returned to Ramallah, despite warnings from acquaintances not to do so. Indeed, the concerns for his safety were realized.

According to testimonies received by Shomrim, on Wednesday four vehicles carrying Palestinian Preventive Security officers arrested Hulileh while he was sitting in the Lemon restaurant in Ramallah with several people. The testimony stated: "Four vehicles with nearly twenty Preventive Security officers, armed with M-16 rifles, dragged an older man from the restaurant. It later turned out to be Samir Hulileh." His arrest reflects,so it seems, the pressure the PA is under regarding post-war Gaza plans that do not include it.

Samir Hulileh’s name surfaced about a month ago, when Shomrim revealed behind-the-scenes efforts to appoint him as governor of Gaza. Conversations conducted by Shomrim with individuals involved in the initiative — along with documents submitted to the U.S. Department of Justice — revealed a plan to install a figure in Gaza who would operate under the auspices of the Arab League, be acceptable to both Israel and the United States, and facilitate a post-war governing framework. Hulileh’s candidacy was promoted, among others, by former Israeli lobbyist Ari Ben-Menashe, who is based in Canada.

A resident of Ramallah, Hulileh is an economist by training and a well-known political and business figure within the PA. His résumé includes senior roles in the PA as well as extensive business ties. In 2005 he served as Secretary-General of the Palestinian government, later as Deputy Minister of the Palestinian Ministry of Economy and Trade, Chairman of the Palestinian Economic Policy Research Institute, board member of the Palestine Trade Center, CEO of PADICO (the largest holding company in the PA), and Chairman of the Palestinian Stock Exchange. He is considered very close to Palestinian-American billionaire Bashar al-Masri, the businessman behind the construction of the Palestinian city of Rawabi, known for his good relations with the Trump administration.

Hulileh told Shomrim at the time that the first essential step toward advancing the initiative was a firm commitment by all parties to a permanent ceasefire and the end of the war. “Only then can we talk about the day after,” he said. Once that condition is met, he explained, he envisioned himself serving as the “project manager” for Gaza’s reconstruction. His plan included bringing in substantial humanitarian aid — at least 600 to 1,000 trucks per day — and opening four to five unrestricted commercial crossings, which would not be subject to Israeli control.

At the same time, he added, law and order must be restored to the Gaza Strip. "People need to feel there is an authority in the Strip—not the PA or Hamas—but an authority they must respect." He said the Strip could not remain full of weapons from "remnants of Hamas or Islamic Jihad," because people must feel safe in their homes. According to Hulileh’s calculations, rebuilding Gaza would require at least $53 billion in investment.

The publication of the plan generated significant reactions in the PA and across the Arab world, and Hulileh gave interviews to Arab and international media. But with the publication also came pressure from PA officials, who did not accept a plan for ruling Gaza that excluded them. Shomrim learned that Hulileh received threats warning that he could be accused of collaborating with the enemy. Indeed, his public tone later shifted, and in an interview with Saudi channel Al Arabiya, he said he would only accept the appointment as governor of Gaza if approved by PA President Mahmoud Abbas.

A few days later, Hulileh left Ramallah for Amman, where he stayed in recent weeks. Earlier this week, according to a friend who spoke to Shomrim, Hulileh decided to return to Ramallah, saying, "he is not afraid of anyone." However, shortly after he returned to PA territory, he was arrested.

Anwar Rajab, spokesperson for the PA security apparatus, was asked by Shomrim why Hulileh was arrested. He told Shomrim that he had no information on the matter.