Terrorists in Uniform – PMW Report: PA Security Involved in Terror

As Israel’s War against Hamas in the Gaza Strip progresses, concerned countries are now discussing whon should rule Gaza after Hamas is destroyed. The US, the UK, and several other European countries have suggested that the reins of the Gaza Strip should be handed over to the Palestinian Authority (PA) and its Security Forces under the leadership of Mahmoud Abbas and his Fatah party. This proposal assumes that the PA and its Security Forces are moderating factors and working to prevent terror.

To challenge this myth, PMW decided to write this report documenting that the PA Security Forces are not only deeply involved in terror but that the PA and Fatah brag about it. This report was presented in the last few weeks to members of the Foreign Affairs and Security Committee (the Judea and Samaria subcommittee) of the Knesset and in the British House of Lords to MPs and Lords.

The report exposes the PA Security Forces’ involvement in terror in recent years and documents that far worse than being ineffectual, the PA’s security services have been playing a very active role in terror against Israelis. Both the PA and Fatah not only admit this terror role but regularly and proudly publicise explicit proof of it.

Examples from the Report

• Fatah: “By day Security Forces, and by night self-sacrificing fighters.” A video released by Mahmoud Abbas’s Fatah party reiterates that the PA Security Forces fulfil a double role of cops by day and terrorists by night. In the video, Fatah glorifies four members of the PA Security Forces arrested or killed during gun battles with Israeli forces who were combatting terror.

‘Hamas, the PA, and Fatah are all fundamentally involved in terror, and it must be recognised that they will be the cornerstone that will rebuild terror wherever they rule.’

In addition to glorifying the arrested and killed terrorists, the video further applauds the fugitive father of terrorist Ra’ad Hazem, who murdered three in a terror attack in Tel Aviv. The father holds the rank of Colonel in the PA Security Forces and was suspected of supplying the weapons for the terror attack.

• Fatah: “More than 1,500 military operations (i.e., terror attacks) against the Israeli occupation were led by the Fatah Movement members and the [PA] Security Forces members [in 2023]”

• PA: “More than roughly 63-65% of the number of Martyrs in the West Bank, in the daily confrontations, are members of the Fatah Movement. And most of them are members of the [PA] Security Forces or their sons.”

• Fatah: “More than 355 of our Palestinian people’s prisoners inside the.prisons are from the Palestinian [PA] Security Forces—in other words, the PA’s soldiers.”

• In August 2023, Fatah published a poster on its official Facebook page with the names and pictures of 30 members of the PA Security Forces to honour them as ‘Martyrs.’ PMW identified 23 of those whose names and ranks in the PA Security Forces were listed as known terrorists, most of whom were killed while attacking Israelis. Some are pictured in uniform.

• Another example of Fatah highlighting the participation of the PA Security Forces in terror was when Fatah publicised a video with pictures of 24 terrorists who were PA Security Forces officers in their PA military uniforms. To stress that the dual roles do not conflict, each picture includes the logo of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades terror organisation and the logo of the PA security branch in which they served. Each terrorist’s picture is accompanied by their name, rank, and PA security branch.

Conclusions
The PA’s Security Forces are fundamentally involved in terror. Their terror involvement is not condemned by the PA or Fatah but rather glorified. Terror involvement is not presented by the PA and Fatah as unfortunate exceptions but rather as the heroic norm. The officers involved are not ostracised but rather are honoured and given military funerals.

With Fatah and the PA Security Forces so deeply involved in terror in the West Bank, the British and American suggestion of empowering them to rule Gaza after Israel has destroyed the terror infrastructures is inconceivable to Israelis. The military force that rules Gaza after the war cannot be fundamentally involved in terror, or else the entire costly operation to destroy the terror infrastructure will have been in vain.

The political structure and accompanying security force that administers the Gaza Strip must be found outside the current Palestinian political leadership and military. Hamas, the PA, and Fatah are all fundamentally involved in terror, and it must be recognised that they will be the cornerstone that will rebuild terror wherever they rule. As a fundamental part of the problem, it is a mistake to believe they can be part of the solution.

The full report (English) and photos can be found here: www.palwatch.org/page/34944