1) The ITIC reports on ‘The Palestinian Authority attempts to restore its system of governance’.
“One of the most critical tests currently facing the PA is restoring its governance to the Jenin region. For the time being, the security forces operate in the city, but the real test will be when they try to enter the refugee camp to disarm terrorist operatives. The Jenin refugee camp is considered one of the most fortified locations in Judea and Samaria, with stockpiles of weapons and explosives and where dozens of armed operatives freely roam the streets. Part of the PA’s urgency to restore control comes from the fear that Hamas will take control of the territory, because during a long period when Hamas did not claim responsibility for attacks in Judea and Samaria, its military-terrorist wing now formally does claim responsibility for them.”
2) At the JCPA, Khaled Abu Toameh discusses ‘The Palestinian Authority’s Corruption and Its Impact on the Peace Process’.
“Nearly three decades after its establishment, the Palestinian Authority and its institutions continue unchecked in their corruption and human rights violations. This has negatively impacted the Palestinian public’s confidence in its leadership’s policies and decisions. The ramifications of this on the Palestinian Authority’s leadership have been devastating, especially regarding the peace process with Israel and its ability to lead the Palestinians toward statehood.”
3) At the INSS, Morr Link and Pnina Sharvit Baruch analyse ‘Israeli Recognition of Moroccan Sovereignty in Western Sahara’.
“On July 17, 2023, the Royal Palace in Rabat published an official statement announcing Israel’s recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara. This development comes two and a half years after Israel and Morocco signed a normalization agreement in December 2020 as part of the Abraham Accords. While the agreement did not require Israel to recognize Moroccan sovereignty over the area, the issue received prominent mention in the third paragraph, with the United States declaring its recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara – indeed, one of the main incentives for Morocco to renew relations with Israel.”
4) At WINEP, Matthew Levitt and Lauren von Thaden discuss ‘Guns, Drugs, and Smugglers: A Recent Heightened Challenge at Israel’s Borders with Jordan and Egypt’.
“The guns and drugs that are flowing into Israel are creating societal problems and public safety issues. The influx of weapons is also a major counterterrorism concern. Smuggled weapons have been a contributing factor to the surge of violence that has plagued the West Bank and Israel. Consider the December 2022 case when Israeli authorities arrested brothers Mohammed and Adam Abu Taha, residents of a Bedouin town near Beer Sheva in Israel’s Negev desert, on charges of smuggling weapons and ammunition. The brothers knowingly sold the weapons to members of Palestinian Islamic Jihad in the West Bank and to criminals in southern Israel.”
