Israel Gives PA Another Chance to Fight Terrorism

9/16/2008

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Late last month, the government of Israel released nearly 200 Palestinian prisoners and allowed them to return to the West Bank. Two of the discharged prisoners were terrorists serving life sentences for murdering Israeli civilians.

The prisoner release was part of a series of major gestures offered in recent weeks in what the Israeli government described as an effort to boost support for Palestinian Authority (P.A.) President Mahmoud Abbas. 

As of late August, Israel had removed nearly 100 IDF checkpoints across the West Bank. Ten roadblocks were also dismantled in the Hebron area over the past several weeks. These steps, intended to ease Palestinian movement, pose serious risks to the Jewish state, as terrorists continue to plot attacks against it.

Israel—and the United States—expect the P.A. to match Israel’s commitment to peace by undertaking “sustained, targeted, and effective operations” against terrorists, dismantling terrorist infrastructure in the West Bank and ending anti-Israel incitement, as called for in Phase I of the Road Map.

To this end, Israel recently allowed the transfer of about 1,000 rifles and thousands of bullets to Palestinian security forces in the West Bank. Israel has also approved the use of flak jackets and other military equipment by the P.A. forces.

To its credit, the P.A. has reportedly confiscated tons of explosives and numerous firearms in recent months and has begun to take control of a number of major charities associated with Hamas.

At a recent Israeli cabinet meeting, Shin Bet head Yuval Diskin praised the improvement in the quality of P.A. security forces’ action against Hamas, but cautioned that the P.A. had yet to directly confront Hamas’ military infrastructure in the West Bank. 

Palestinian officials admit that when Hamas and Islamic Jihad members are arrested, they are often released from jail shortly thereafter. Therefore, even as Israel continues to pursue peace with its neighbors, the Jewish state’s security forces remain on high alert.  •NER•

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