Inside Abbas's call for unprecedented PLO elections

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Feb 5, 2026

Jacob Magid, U.S. bureau chief for The Times of Israel and Middle East reporter, walks through possible U.S.-Iran talks in Oman and why the venue matters. He outlines a leaked Board of Peace draft that sidelines a Gaza panel. He explains the NCAG's role in Cairo and what Mahmoud Abbas’s surprise PLO parliament vote plan could mean for Palestinian politics.

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INSIGHT

Oman Framed Talks As A Narrow Nuclear Track

Iran preferred Oman to frame talks as a narrow continuation focused on nuclear issues.
The U.S. accepted Oman to preserve diplomacy while gaining time and leverage before any military option.

INSIGHT

Diplomacy Buys Time And Clarifies Military Options

The U.S. wants to exhaust diplomacy partly to buy time to position military assets and clarify strike goals.
Administration debate centers on what a strike could realistically achieve, making talks politically useful.

INSIGHT

Gaza Panel Is Advisory, U.S. Chair Holds Power

The Board of Peace draft relegates the Gaza Executive Board to an advisory role, easing Israeli fears.
Yet the resolution concentrates power in President Trump as chair, limiting other members' influence.

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Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

US bureau chief Jacob Magid joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

In the wake of reports that suggested that planned nuclear talks set for the end of the week were unravelling, US President Donald Trump on Wednesday said Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei "should be very worried." Magid describes the media storm and what may be in store on Friday in Oman -- if the talks do indeed take place.

Last week, Magid was able to get his hands on a draft resolution laying out the powers of various bodies tasked with managing postwar Gaza under US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace initiative. We hear how it appears to limit the significance of a panel, including Turkey and Qatar, that had sparked worries in Israel. We also learn about the current activities of the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, or NCAG, which is still sitting in Cairo.

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said Monday that elections will be held on November 1 for the Palestinian National Council, the parliament of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO). Magid explains why this may not be the big deal it appears to be.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

US-Iran talks back on track after Trump warns Khamenei ‘should be very worried’

Board of Peace proposal appears to relegate Gaza panel with Turkey, Qatar to ‘advisory’ role

Palestinian Authority’s Abbas calls first-ever direct PLO parliament elections

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Podwaves and Ari Schlacht.

IMAGE: Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank city of Ramallah, December 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser, Pool)

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