The chairman of the Palestinian Authority (PA) acts forcefully against the Palestinian opposition organizations in the West Bank, led by Hamas, to ensure the continuation of his rule. On the other hand, he does not act against the armed terrorist groups in the northern West Bank who do not endanger him. He is sure that he has an “insurance certificate” from Israel, Arab countries and the international community.
Abu Mazen is waging a persistent struggle to maintain his rule in the West Bank through the PA’s security mechanisms. Although he has reached the age of 87, he has no intention of stepping down from the political stage anytime soon.
Abu Mazen is waging a persistent struggle to maintain his rule in the West Bank through the security mechanisms of the Palestinian Authority. Although he has reached the age of 87, he has no intention of stepping down from the political stage anytime soon
He is well aware of the moods on the Palestinian street and the Palestinian public opinion polls, from which it is clear that the Palestinian public is tired of him and wants his replacement.
The majority of public opinion polls conducted to date in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip show that approximately 70 percent of the Palestinian public is interested in the immediate retirement of the Palestinian Authority Chairman from his post and the holding of general elections for the presidency and parliament.
According to the majority of the Palestinian public, the most suitable candidate to replace Abu Mazen is senior Fatah official Marwan Barghouti, sentenced to five life sentences and imprisoned in an Israeli prison. The second place is occupied by Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.
The majority of public opinion polls conducted to date in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip indicate that approximately 70 percent of the Palestinian public is interested in the immediate retirement of the Palestinian Authority Chairman from his post and holding general elections for the presidency and parliament.
According to most of the Palestinian public, the most suitable candidate to replace Abu Mazen is senior Fatah official Marwan Barghouti. pic.twitter.com/HhXGqIbJAA— Yoni ben Menachem yoni ben menachem (@yonibmen) January 17, 2023
The chairman of the Palestinian Authority knows very well how to handle Fatah officials who threaten his leadership, He ousted Muhammad Dahlan and Nasser al-Kidawa from the Fatah movement, imposed sanctions on Tawfiq Al-Tirawi and worked with the US and Israel so that Marwan Barghouti would not be released from prison in any prisoner exchange deal between Israel and Hamas.
The chairman of the Palestinian Authority is very concerned about the activities of the Palestinian opposition factions in the West Bank and especially Hamas operatives. His instructions to the Palestinian security mechanisms are clear and unequivocal to suppress by force any activity of Hamas in the West Bank.
Abu Mazen is concerned about the activities of the Palestinian opposition factions in the West Bank and especially Hamas operatives. His instructions to the Palestinian security mechanisms are clear and unequivocal – to suppress by force any activity of Hamas in the West Bank
Last week the security forces of the Palestinian Authority violently suppressed a demonstration held in Nablus, demanding the release of the political detainees held in the detention facilities of the Palestinian Authority and the wanted Motzev Ashteyeh, a Hamas operative who has been held in Jericho prison for four months.
He belongs to the Hamas movement and the “Lions’ Guard” group from Nablus and underwent severe torture in a Palestinian prison.
PA security forces last week violently suppressed a demonstration held in Nablus demanding the release of the political detainees held in PA detention facilities and the wanted Motzev Ashteyeh, a Hamas operative who has been held in Jericho prison for four months.
He belongs to the Hamas movement and the “Lions’ Guard” group from Nablus and underwent severe torture in a Palestinian prison pic.twitter.com/IhXXOX7YW4— Yoni ben Menachem yoni ben menachem (@yonibmen) January 17, 2023
The Palestinian Authority’s security forces have accurate intelligence on any demonstration or activity against Abu Mazen’s rule and they act quickly in various areas of the West Bank to suppress it.
Last December, the PA’s security forces in the West Bank arrested more than 250 activists of the Hamas movement in the largest arrest operation since 2007. The wave of arrests was in preparation for the celebrations of the 35th anniversary of the founding of Hamas.
Last December, the security forces of the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank arrested more than 250 activists of the Hamas movement in the largest arrest operation since 2007, the wave of arrests was in preparation for the celebrations of the 35th anniversary of the founding of the Hamas movement. pic.twitter.com/QIkDSnyutE
— Yoni ben Menachem yoni ben menachem (@yonibmen) January 17, 2023
The arrests made by the PA’s security forces in the city of Hebron, where there is a large Hamas presence, were numerous and violent, in which live bullets and tear gas were used.
Hamas officials claim that the arrests of the PA security forces are done in coordination with the Israeli Shin Bet and that there is a division of labor between the two sides.
The arrests by the security forces of the Palestinian Authority in Hebron, where there is a large presence of Hamas, were numerous and violent and included the firing of live bullets and tear gas. According to Hamas officials, these arrests were made in coordination with the Israeli Shin Bet
The Hamas operatives arrested by the PA’s security forces are released security prisoners who were in custody in an Israeli prison and students at the universities of Bir Zeit in Ramallah and Al-Najah in Nablus.
Human rights activists are also among the detainees. Some of them openly call for the punishment of the PA security personnel who brutally murdered the human rights activist Nizar Banat.
The security mechanisms of the PA monitor the activity in the mosques in the West Bank and on social networks, they monitor any criticism of the corruption in the PA, the political failure of Abu Mazen and the security coordination between the PA and Israel and make arrests accordingly.
The Palestinian opposition activists are abducted from their homes by the PA’s security personnel, taken to interrogations and some undergo severe torture, many of those who remain in detention go on hunger strikes, but this does not deter the PA.
Among those arrested were also Palestinian journalists. According to a report by the Palestinian organization “Lawyers for Justice”, from 2022 until today the Palestinian Authority has arrested 500 political activists in the West Bank territories. The arrests are being made even though the Fatah movement pledged to the Palestinian factions in the reconciliation talks held recently in Algeria to respect human rights and freedom Speech.
According to a report by the Palestinian organization “Lawyers for Justice”, from 2022 until today the Palestinian Authority has arrested 500 political activists in the West Bank, the arrests are being carried out even though the Fatah movement pledged to the Palestinian factions in the reconciliation talks held recently in Algeria to respect human rights and freedom Speech. pic.twitter.com/g4eKMjDZH2
— Yoni ben Menachem yoni ben menachem (@yonibmen) January 17, 2023
In contrast to the arrests of opposition activists, Abu Mazen refrained from ordering his security forces to arrest the operatives of the armed terrorist groups in the northern West Bank because they do not pose a direct threat to his rule.
A senior PA official says that the members of these groups mainly belong to the Fatah movement and the Islamic Jihad organization. They aim their weapons at the IDF soldiers and the settlers and not against the security personnel of the Palestinian Authority, therefore they do not endanger the Palestinian government in Ramallah and do not work to overthrow Abu Mazen.
The Palestinian opposition activists are abducted from their homes by the security personnel of the Palestinian Authority, interrogated and some of them undergo severe torture. Many of those remaining in detention are on hunger strike, but this does not deter the Authority
The chairman of the Palestinian Authority is interested in the failure of the new right-wing government in Israel and he is not prepared to forcefully confront the armed terrorists in the northern West Bank. Although the PA has the intelligence and operational capabilities to do so.
What interests him is the survival on his throne and his working assumption is that he has an “insurance certificate”, because Israel, the USA, the European Union and the moderate Arab countries want the continuation of his rule.