Palestine - December 2024

In December, the Palestinian Authority (PA) launched a large-scale operation in the northern West Bank, targeting militant groups in the Jenin refugee camp. The PA stated that the operation aimed to reestablish control and disarm militias, while the militant groups accused the PA of collaborating with Israel to suppress resistance. As clashes intensified, the PA deployed snipers and opened fire on demonstrators supporting the militant groups, causing injuries. Analysts describe the situation as the most intense intra-Palestinian fighting since 2007, suggesting the PA is seeking to demonstrate to Israel, the US and other potential brokers that it could maintain security within the Gaza strip should it be allowed to govern there after the war. With declining domestic support for the PA, these developments may further inflame intra-Palestinian tensions and similar operations that lead to more violence in the West Bank.

Sources: Associated Press, Reuters, The New Arab, The Washington Post, Middle East Eye, Mada Masr