|
Trending Topics
|
Palestinian Forces Raid West Bank Refugee Camps
(Washington Times) Mel Frykberg - In recent weeks, Palestinian security forces have searched refugee camps for militants and sparked gunfights that have ended with the deaths of two people, injuries to several security personnel and local residents, and the arrest of dozens, as the Palestinian Authority tries to establish security among its increasingly restless populace. "Israel is worried about the deteriorating security situation in the West Bank. This is the reason it wants to maintain a security presence in a future Palestinian state. The [PA] will not be able to take care of Israel's security needs," said Pinhas Inbari, a security analyst at the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs. Inbari said the PA appears to have lost control over several of the camps, including Balata near Nablus, Jenin, and Kalandia near Jerusalem. "The PA tried the diplomatic approach, first by trying to reason with the gunmen and the residents, but that has failed. They then tried launching military assaults, but those, too, are not working," he said.