The West Bank areas are burning, but PA Chairman Abu Mazen is not moved by the situation, he visited Kazakhstan this week to participate in the Asian Conference, the war on terrorism is not of particular interest to him, he left instructions to his security forces to continue arresting Hamas and Islamic Jihad operatives, but Not to confront and try to forcibly dismantle the armed terrorist groups in Nablus and Jenin for fear that this will lead to a civil war.
Hussein al-Sheikh, the designated successor of Abu Mazen, returned from talks in Washington during which he met with National Security Adviser Jack Sullivan and senior officials of the US State Department where the security situation in the West Bank, proposals to strengthen the PA’s position, the creation of a “political horizon” and preserving the option of a two-state solution were discussed.
According to sources in the Palestinian Authority, Hussein al-Sheikh demanded that senior government officials put pressure on Israel to stop the entry of IDF forces into the centers of Palestinian cities and refugee camps in the West Bank in order to bring calm and reduce friction with the Palestinian militants.
. The Palestinian Authority is taking a few steps on the ground to try and regain control of the northern West Bank.
PA Chairman Abu Mazen established a security committee headed by General Nidal Abu Dohan, commander of the National Security Forces, who has proven experience in dealing with armed terrorists in the refugee camps in Balata and Al-Amari, to try to disarm the ” Lions Den” group.
The Palestinian Authority does not enter into a conflict on the ground with the “Lions’ Den” group and it tries through various mediators to disarm it without violence.
The Palestinian Authority offered the members of the group to hand themselves over to the Palestinian Authority’s security forces and that they would not be arrested but would be taken in as fighters in the Palestinian security apparatus and receive a monthly salary , the PA also offered to buy the weapons in their possession from them and that they would receive an amnesty from the Israeli Shin Bet and would no longer be considered wanted by Israel.
In fact, this is a repeat of the “wanted terrorists agreement” that the PA offered in 2007 to hundreds of wanted terrorists of the Fatah movement , with the consent of the Israeli Shin Bet, in order to remove them from the circle of terror.
The members of the ” Lions Den” group announced that they rejected the PA’s proposal outright.
Has the PA reached the end of its path?
Senior officials in Fatah sharply criticize PA chairman Abu Mazen and say that he led the PA to a serious failure, what interests him is only his personal survival and to take care of the continuation of the economic empire of his two sons after he will step down from the political stage.
His current policy has led to security anarchy and the strengthening of Hamas in the West Bank.
It seems that the PA has weakened for several reasons
.A. Its political plan for a political settlement with Israel has reached a dead end and it has not been able to create a political horizon for the Palestinians.
B. Great corruption in the mechanisms of the PA.
C. Internal struggles at the top of Fatah as part of the succession battle, senior Fatah officials are preparing for the day after Abu Mazen and have formed armed militias.
D. Dictatorship and tyranny, repression by force of the Palestinian opposition.
E. Canceling the parliamentary and presidential elections due to Abu Mazen’s fear of a disgraceful failure in the elections.
F. The PA’s loss of popularity on the Palestinian street because of the security coordination with Israel.
Israel, the United States and the moderate Arab countries are very concerned about the weakening of the PA and are trying to strengthen PA Chairman Abu Mazen, but it seems that the situation will only get worse once he steps down from the political stage, Israel will have to take drastic measures on the ground to prevent Hamas from taking over West Bank areas.
