Despite heavy pressure from the United States, Israel refuses to allow the transfer of weapons to the security forces of the Palestinian Authority (PA), which continue to battle terror groups across Judea and Samaria in a bid to reestablish control over the territory.
According to a report from Army Radio, the U.S. requested that Israel approve the transfer of AK-47 Kalashnikov rifles, ammunition and armored vehicles. After discussions among security officials, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi decided to recommend the political leadership not approve the transfers.
Under the Oslo Accords from 1993, the PA has full security control over Area A and joint security control with Israel over Area B.
After the PA's control in several towns has been severely degraded in recent years, its security forces embarked on a large-scale operation to regain control of several towns, particularly Jenin and Tulkarm, which continues until today.
Under the terms of the Accords, Israel must approve the transfer of heavy weaponry to PA security forces, which occasionally confront terror group members armed with superior weapons smuggled with Iranian assistance.
Army Radio added that the security establishment, including the IDF and Defense Minister Israel Katz, were in agreement that the weapons transfer should not be allowed, despite the ongoing PA operation against Iranian-backed terror groups, including Hamas, Palestinian Islamic Jihad and smaller local groups, being in Israel's security interest.
The Prime Minister's Office confirmed the details, Army Radio added, while the Defense Minister's office declined to comment. The IDF spokesman said in response: "The IDF does not detail the Chief of Staff's positions that are presented to the political echelon on issues of this kind."
The PA began its operation some two weeks ago after continually losing ground to armed militias in the Palestinian cities and amid pressure from the Biden administration, which has pushed the idea that a "reformed" PA should take over responsibility for the Gaza Strip after the war.
A successful counter-terror operation in Jenin would go a long way to prove the PA's competence for such a task.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has so far refused to entertain the idea of putting the PA back in power in Gaza, and Israeli leaders have, in recent years, often pointed to the deep connections between the PA and terrorism against settlers across Judea and Samaria.
After the Army Radio report, Israel Ganz, the head of the Binyamin Regional Council and the chairman of the Yesha Council, praised the "correct decision," which he said reflected the situation on the ground.
"Transferring ammunition and weapons to the enemy, especially during wartime, is complete madness and a breach of security for the citizens of the State of Israel. We are again demanding that the political echelon move from defensive to offensive in Judea and Samaria, to act decisively and firmly, as we did in Gaza and Lebanon."
"The Palestinian Authority is a terrorist organization – and a terrorist organization should be defeated," Ganz declared.
Meanwhile, in Jenin's refugee camp, the fighting between the PA and the terror militias continued. On Sunday, a young, female Palestinian journalist, Shatha al-Sabbagh,was fatally shot in the head, with her family claiming that PA forces were responsible.
The PA responded that the "heinous crime was committed by outlaws inside the Jenin camp" during overnight clashes in the area.
Her family maintains that there was no active fighting at the time, while Hamas, which is wrestling for more influence in Judea and Samaria, also decried "the cold blooded and deliberate killing of journalist Shatha [al-Sabbagh]," accusing the PA "of killing, arresting and mistreating our people."
With al-Sabbagh's death, the number of victims killed during the PA operation since Dec. 5 rose to 11, according to The Times of Israel.
Republished with permission from All Israel News.
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