In the past couple of years, a new generation of armed groups has arisen among West Bank Palestinians, drawing fire from both Israel and the Palestinian Authority (PA), as well as attention from farther afield. PA and Israeli officials have branded the groups “bandits” and “terrorists”, respectively, reflecting their somewhat different motives for portraying them as a threat. First, the PA is trying to evoke bad memories of the second intifada by accusing the new groups’ members of having criminal backgrounds. PA security forces also have violently disrupted funerals of slain members of these groups, and local PA officials have spoken derogatorily about members and their relatives. Interviews with residents, Fatah members and PA officials in Nablus suggest that the groups are small, disjointed and scattered, without clear leadership.

Source: The North Africa Journal April 17, 2023 20:35 UTC