Israel Keeps Palestinian Authority on Life Support
Adnan Abu Amer examines Israel's attitudes and policies toward the Palestinian Authority, and its interest in keeping the PA weakened but alive.
While stalemate dominates the Palestinian political scene on multiple levels, big questions have begun to arise regarding the future of the Palestinian Authority (PA). The prospect of the authority’s collapse or dissolution has sparked heated debates amongst Palestinians and Israelis, as President Mahmoud Abbas recently threatened to relinquish control to Israel.
As collapse and dissolution loom on the horizon, the dimensions of this crisis should be analyzed from two crucial angles:
Internally, despite rumors claiming otherwise, there is no light at the end of the tunnel for national reconciliation. In addition, economic and financial issues foretell dire implications for tens of thousands of employees. And externally, while the current and upcoming Israeli government intends to impose solutions on all sides, regional and international focus has become centered on more urgent matters while the Palestinian issue is swept under the carpet until further notice.
In the midst of these conditions, the many political and intellectual philosophies adopted by a large segment of Palestinian politicians trying to come up with a temporary fix for current problems seems out of place. The crisis is becoming increasingly more urgent as the deteriorating authority encumbers the Palestinian cause and disperses the Palestinian people. Once thought to be the most likely solution to the Palestinian issue and conflict with Israel, the PA has been turned into a lucrative personal investment project for some, serving personal issues in a way it has never been able to serve the greater cause.
