Blaming Israel for the Palestinian Authority’s Internal Problems

It's an old story; the Arabs cause trouble and Israel is blamed

Blaming Israel for the Palestinian Authority’s Internal Problems – American Thinker<!—->

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September 11, 2022

Axios reported, U.S. urges Israel to take steps to stabilize Palestinian Authority.

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It’s an old story; the Arabs cause trouble and Israel is blamed. Two examples of this pattern are;

After the intifada in 2001 in which 1038 Israelis were murdered, President Bush sent Sen Mitchel to Israel on a fact-finding mission. He produced the Mitchell Report in April 30, 2001, which recommended, inter alia, the freezing of Israel settlement activity … and other Israeli confidence-building measures, and;
Every time Hamas fires rockets by the hundreds at Israel civilians. When it defends itself, Israel is blamed. The solution demanded was that Israel negotiate a ceasefire and make concessions.

The same applies to the situation in Israel and Judea and Samaria

The Government of Israel has documented the Wave of Terror 2015-2022.

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This year alone it records: 1328 attacks, 19 deaths and 51 injured.

The Oslo Accords provide that in Area A, the Palestinian Authority (PA) is entirely responsible for security, in Area B, the PA and Israel have joint responsibility and in Area C, Israel is solely responsible.

(source)

As IDF Major General (res.) Gershon Hacohen explained on the Mideast News Hour this week, over the past year, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) has transformed the Jenin area into a Gaza-like terror enclave in northern Samaria. It exerts control over Jenin and all areas of the region. Recently, Iran has funded the formation of joint PIJ, Fatah, PFLP and Hamas terror cells throughout Judea and Samaria.

Khaled Abu Toameh wrote on this situation a few months back. Jenin: Despite economic prosperity, PA failed to disarm militiamen :

Since then (2002), the armed groups in the camp and other places in the Jenin area have managed to rebuild a vast network of terrorist infrastructure. The PA was not eager to combat the phenomenon and often chose to look the other way.

The PA leaders did not want to be accused by Palestinians of cracking down on “the fine men of the revolution,” especially in a place like the Jenin refugee camp, which became a symbol of the Palestinian “struggle” against Israel.

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Although most of the incitement is taking place on social-media platforms, it is also coming straight from the horse’s mouth: Palestinian leaders in Ramallah, the Gaza Strip, Qatar and Lebanon.

Axios noted:

The Biden administration urged the Israeli government to take urgent steps to stabilize the Palestinian Authority,

U.S. officials are deeply concerned that the deteriorating situation in the West Bank and an increase in violence could lead to a major crisis.

At the same time, an economic crisis has made it hard for the PA to pay salaries, further eroding its legitimacy and control in major cities like Hebron, Jenin and Nablus.

And true to form, Biden sent Barbara Leaf, the US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern affairs, to Israel to address the developing crises with Israel and the PA.

No one cares more about the developing crises than Israel, so why doesn’t the US stay out of it? Instead, they micro-manage the situation to make sure Israel does what the US wants.

As for the “economic crises,” it is all of the PA’s making.

The Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs (JCPA) reports:

“The Palestinian Authority’s legislation and allocations of monthly salaries and benefits rewarding imprisoned and released terrorists, and the families of “Martyrs,” amount to $300 million annually. This financial reward clearly demonstrates the PA’s institutional commitment to sponsoring terror against Israel.”

To deal with this policy, The US Congress passed into law the Taylor Force Act in 2017, which withholds US aid to the PA until:

…the Secretary of State certifies in writing to the appropriate congressional committees that the Palestinian Authority, the Palestine Liberation Organization, and any successor or affiliated organizations—

(A) are taking credible steps to end acts of violence against Israeli citizens and United States citizens […]

(B) have terminated payments for acts of terrorism against Israeli citizens and United States citizens to any individual, after being fairly tried, who has been imprisoned for such acts of terrorism and to any individual who died committing such acts of terrorism, including to a family member of such individuals;

(C) have revoked any law, decree, regulation, or document authorizing or implementing a system of compensation for imprisoned individuals [..]

(D) are publicly condemning such acts of violence and are taking steps to investigate or are cooperating in investigations of such acts to bring the perpetrators to justice.

Why isn’t Barbara Leaf tasked with forcing the PA to comply with this US law in return for its aid? Instead, she is tasked with getting Israel to stabilize the PA, which increasingly is weakening and losing its control in Area A.

The Axios Report above noted described the situation in detail:

…that the PA President Abu Mazen has accused Israel of being responsible for undermining his ability to control his territory due to both the economic hardships caused by Israeli incursions to thwart terrorist attacks, as well as the incursions, themselves.

The PA claims that they are unable to pay the salaries of their Security forces due to the economic crisis associated with the night time Israel raids which he claims are “eroding its legitimacy and control in major cities like Hebron, Jenin and Nablus”.

Shin Bet director Ronen Bar, who leads the Israeli domestic security service in charge of gathering intelligence in the West Bank and Gaza, told Leaf he is highly concerned about the PA’s situation and the ability of the Palestinian security forces to function, Israeli sources briefed on the meeting said. Palestinian leadership blames Israel for the weakened security forces.

The situation on the ground is worse than it seems,” Bar told Leaf, according to the Israeli sources. He claimed that Israel doesn’t want to send the military for incursions into Palestinian cities, but has no choice due to increased violence.

Leaf also met with Maj. Gen. Ghassan Alian, the head of COGAT, the Israeli Ministry of Defense agency in charge of civilian affairs in the West Bank, who also painted a dark picture of the situation.

Israeli sources said Alian told the U.S. senior diplomat that he is doing everything in his power to stabilize the situation but thinks it might not be enough “to stop the snowball.” He added that more significant steps require political decisions.

Leaf then met with Israeli national security adviser Eyal Hulata for what Israeli sources briefed on the matter said was a tough meeting.

Leaf stressed that the PA could collapse and “the ball is in Israel’s court” when it comes to strengthening and stabilizing it, the Israeli sources said.

To make matters worse, The Biden Administration is demanding that Israel “closely review its policies and practices on rules of engagement”. It not only tells Israel what to do but how to do it.

The US policy is not dictated by the desire to achieve peace. It weds itself to the unworkable and unattainable two-state solution (TSS). Underneath it all is the goal of weakening the State of Israel.

Caroline Glick, in her Mideast News Hour interviewed Major General Gershon Hacohen on the subject of the terrorism in Judea and Samaria. He blamed it all on the Oslo Accords, which were intended to achieve separation of Jews and Arabs. This is otherwise known as the TSS, though the Accords never called for same. Hacohen said that this solution is based on six assumptions, all of which have been proven false.

Separation is the solution. We separated from Gaza and Jenin and got terror in return.
Separation is reversible or so the late PM Rabin advised, but the US won’t allow it.
Withdrawal gains Israel international legitimacy. Not true. Every time we enter Areas A to apprehend terrorists or Gaza we lose international legitimacy. The world claims our intervention is the problem not the terrorism.
Can achieve demilitarization. Demonstrably false. Look at Gaza or Jenin.
Prosperity brings peace. Not true, Jenin is the richest city in Judea and Samaria but is the center of terrorism and the most deadly
Israel and PA will be partners. On the contrary, the PA is promoting terrorism not fighting it.

It is time to abandon the TSS.

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