Palestinian Authority fighting with militants continues in rare Jenin operation

Deadly, days-long battle is being viewed as a pivotal moment for the authority, which has been suffering a crisis of legitimacy in recent years

Jenin, December 15, 2024. The city has long been a centre of Palestinian resistance. Reuters

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Palestinian Authority security forces continued fighting militants in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin on Monday, amid a recent series of rare deadly raids that have sharply escalated tensions between the region’s residents and the PA.

The authority, which partially governs the West Bank, launched its largest operation in years last week to regain control of Jenin, long a centre of Palestinian resistance over which the PA has all but lost control. At least three militants have been killed, including commander Yazid Ja’aysa, as well as one civilian, with about 20 people injured.

The operation is being viewed as a pivotal test for the organisation, which has fast been losing legitimacy among its subjects, particularly in the north of the West Bank, amid accusations of widespread corruption and helplessness in the face of mounting Israeli violence, both from the military and settlers.

A protest against the Palestinian Authority's security forces in Jenin's refugee camp on December 15. Reuters

Jenin, and in particular its refugee camp, is a stronghold of the militant group Palestinian Islamic Jihad and, to a lesser extent, Hamas. Violent raids in West Bank refugee camps are typically the preserve of Israeli security forces, whereas the PA focuses on less risky arrests and efforts to rehabilitate gunmen.

Tensions nonetheless increased last week between the PA and militants after security forces attempted to arrest Jenin residents who stole vehicles belonging to security forces. The following day, a car bomb went off next to a police station that wounded three servicemen and two civilians.

Israel has long accused Iran of funding militant activity in the occupied West Bank, where attacks against Israelis have increased in recent years. Despite a close security relationship, relations between Israel and the PA have come under strain in recent years, particularly during the far-right government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with the Palestinian side frequently accusing Israeli authorities of delegitimising it and disrupting cash transfers.

The US, which along with other Western states plays a key role in financing and training PA security forces, asked Israel to approve further American assistance amid the operation, Axios reported on Sunday.