PA clamps down on security amid unrest in West Bank
Recent clashes in the West Bank between security officials and protesters have triggered Palestinian fears that stability will be difficult to restore.
At the beginning of February, armed clashes broke out between the Palestinian security apparatuses and what they called “wanted armed groups” in the Balata refugee camp near the city of Nablus in the West Bank. Though the Palestinian Authority (PA) says these groups are arms or drug dealers, the camp's officials deny this. Al-Monitor learned that these groups belong to the Fatah movement.
The clashes once again sparked a debate on the return of chaos and lawlessness to the West Bank, though the crisis ostensibly ended when 10 young men handed themselves over to the security services on Feb. 12.
Palestinian political and security circles have expressed concern over the possibility of new chaos, as Prime Minister Rami Hamdallah chaired a meeting on Feb. 6 to inform Nablus' security leaders about the latest security developments in the Balata camp.
Meanwhile, on Feb. 21, President Mahmoud Abbas said, “We will not allow the return of chaos, as some have been seeking to foment disorder. We will not allow anyone to undermine security and stability.”
