West Bank security could implode says Fatah leader

A leader of the Fatah movement in the West Bank as warned of increasing Palestinian anger at their own security institutions. His statement comes after accusations that Palestinian security services were unable to stop the assassination of three men belonging to Fatah’s Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigade by the Israeli occupation forces.

In an interview with Israeli Army Radio, also broadcast online by Fatah-controlled websites, Qadoura Fares said, “Those who express pride about the establishment of strong security institutions over the past two years could see them all fall apart within a week or less, because of their immoral behaviour.” He cited “the execution of people in front of their families in Nablus” as the possible catalyst for this.

While Fares ruled out a third Intifada (uprising), he said that there are signs that could pave the way for something like it. “At the funerals of the murdered men, people chanted slogans against the Palestinian Authority (PA) and demanded its dissolution.”

He added that although the Palestinian Authority’s security apparatus has arrested many and took control of the situation, especially in Nablus, the Israeli Army’s incursion made the Authority look weak and unable to protect its own people.

The Fatah leader described the events in Nablus as “an execution” not a “military operation”. The killings did not take place during combat, and none of the men were armed; one was executed near his wife and another was arrested and executed next to his house. “If the Israeli Army had wanted to arrest them, it should have contacted the PA ‑ which would have arrested them ‑ instead of executing them in front of their children,” he added.