Palestinian Authority’s raid on Jenin appeals to Israeli, Western interests
Al Jazeera
The Palestinian Authority is fighting armed groups in Jenin in hopes of winning favour with Israel and the US.
Beirut, Lebanon – The Palestinian Authority (PA) is cracking down on armed groups in the Jenin refugee camp in what experts say is an attempt to restore its limited authority in the occupied West Bank and persuade incoming United States President Donald Trump that it can be a useful security partner.
However, the crackdown has earned it condemnation from many Palestinians, especially after the Saturday night killing of 21-year-old journalist Shatha Sabbagh, who had been reporting from Jenin and whose family said she was killed by PA gunfire.
Since the start of the PA raids, they have been criticised as serving the interests of Israel over supporting the Palestinian struggle for freedom and self-determination.
“Over the past few years, the PA has lost control over the West Bank, and I imagine it is trying to claw back control to prove its worth to its handlers – Israel and the United States,” said Omar Rahman, an expert on Israel-Palestine with the Middle East Council on Global Affairs, a think tank in Doha, Qatar.
“I think it is trying to prove it can play a part that is still relevant, especially at a time when there are voices in the Israeli government trying to force the collapse of the PA,” Rahman told Al Jazeera.
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