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Palestinian Militias Are Resurgent in the Northern West Bank

(Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs) Khaled Abu Toameh - Armed groups control the streets of many Palestinian towns, villages, and refugee camps in the West Bank, particularly in the areas of Nablus, Jenin, Kalkilya, and Tulkarem. Most armed groups in the West Bank currently operate within the framework of "battalions" whose members belong to Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ), and disgruntled activists from Abbas' ruling Fatah party. These armed men are hailed by the Palestinian public as "heroes" and "resistance fighters." The PA and its media also glorify the gunmen, although many of them harshly criticize PA leader Mahmoud Abbas and his policies. In some cases, the funerals of gunmen killed by Israeli security forces are broadcast live on Palestine TV in Ramallah. The only person authorized to crack down on the armed groups and individuals roaming the streets of Palestinian communities in the northern West Bank is 88-year-old Abbas. In recent years, however, Abbas has shown that he has no intention of ending the widespread phenomenon of armed groups operating in the areas under his control. Although Israeli security forces have killed dozens of West Bank gunmen since Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, Palestinian security sources estimate that there are still between 3,000 and 3,500 militiamen in the northern West Bank. The Tulkarem Battalion alone has more than 200 gunmen. The U.S. plan to "revitalize" the PA should focus first and foremost on enforcing law and order in Palestinian-controlled areas of the West Bank. The writer, a veteran Israeli journalist, is a senior fellow at the Jerusalem Center.
2024-05-02 00:00:00
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