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Is PA doing enough to stop arms proliferation in West Bank?

Chaos prevails in the West Bank amid the proliferation of weapons, which embarrasses the Palestinian Authority that seems unable to curb this spread of arms that upped crime rates.
TOPSHOT - Armed members of the Palestinian Fatah movement take part in a march in the Al-Ain camp, west of Nablus in the West Bank, on June 7, 2020, to protest Israel's plan to annex parts of the occupied Palestinian territory and express support for President Mahmoud Abbas. (Photo by JAAFAR ASHTIYEH / AFP) (Photo by JAAFAR ASHTIYEH/AFP via Getty Images)

RAMALLAH, West Bank — The cities of Ramallah and al-Bireh in the central West Bank turned into a war zone Aug. 5, following the killing of Fatah leader Khalil al-Sheikh. Sheikh is the brother of Hussein al-Sheikh, head of the Palestinian General Authority of Civil Affairs and member of the movement’s Central Committee.

Following the killing, dozens of young men close to Sheikh took to the streets of Ramallah and al-Bireh, carrying M16 rifles and firing bullets into the air until dawn. This came amid conflicting stories about Sheikh’s killing. Palestinan security services are still investigating the matter, but to this date no investigation results have been shared.

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