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The Palestinian Authority: A State Failure?

(Strategic Assessment-Institute for National Security Studies) Kobi Michael and Yoel Guzansky - During the years of the Oslo process, extensive efforts and resources were invested in promoting the political process so as to encourage the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. But despite the resources the international community poured into building Palestinian institutions, civil society, democratization processes, and infrastructure, the PA did not succeed in properly instituting and securing the foundations necessary for the establishment of a viable, democratic, and functional state. Even after Israel's disengagement from Gaza, the PA failed to build a functional government. In many ways the level of the PA's performance is higher than that of states such as Somalia, Yemen, or Libya. Nonetheless, based on the accepted theoretical foundation and practical standards for failing states, the PA remains a failing entity. The PA had the means to develop a functional state and institutional infrastructure and significantly improve its performance. Instead, the conduct of the PA and its leadership for the 22 years of its existence matches the patterns of conduct of failing states. Unless real change takes place, a Palestinian state - when established - will almost certainly be a failing state. Dr. Kobi Michael, a senior research fellow at INSS, was deputy director general and head of the Palestinian desk at the Israel Ministry for Strategic Affairs. Yoel Guzansky, a research fellow at INSS, was formerly in charge of strategic issues at the National Security Council in the Prime Minister's Office.
2016-05-17 00:00:00
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