5. Empower the Palestinian Authority Security Forces
Why Is It Important?
The professionalization of the PASF and its constant coordination with the IDF is the single biggest success story in the last decade of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Prime Minister Netanyahu, former Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon, and Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot have all credited security coordination with keeping Israel safe and as being in Israel’s interests to maintain, but that coordination is at risk if the PASF are not given wider latitude and more responsibility to police the West Bank and break up Hamas and other terrorist group cells. Reducing IDF incursions into Area A and allowing the PASF greater freedom of movement through Area B will empower the PASF and help them do their jobs, which makes Israel safer, keeps the West Bank quieter, and demonstrates that there are benefits to ordinary Palestinians for supporting the PA and its approach of working with Israel versus supporting Hamas and its approach of attacking Israel.
