American officials warned their Israeli counterparts of the weakness of the Palestinian Authority, especially in the economic aspect, and that an expected economic collapse in the Authority would push Palestinian security and police personnel to participate in operations against armed targets.

Officials in the administration of US President Joe Biden warned their counterparts in Israel that the West Bank is in a bad state and there is a danger of another front igniting in the West Bank, in addition to the Gaza Strip, and that the Palestinian Authority may lose control in central Palestinian cities, according to the Haaretz newspaper website today, Thursday.

American officials considered that the significant escalation of the situation in the West Bank “will harm the legitimacy and international support” that Israel receives in its war on Gaza.

During talks with their Israeli counterparts, American officials pointed to several issues that worry them and indicate the possibility of escalation in the West Bank, including the weakness of the Palestinian Authority, especially in the economic aspect. The US administration estimates that the Palestinian Authority will reach a state of economic collapse and will not be able to pay the salaries of members of the security services, “who today are working against Hamas and other factions.”

The Israeli security service claims that the economic issue also worries it, after the head of the extremist Religious Zionism Party and the Israeli Minister of Finance, Bezalel Smotrich, refused to transfer the financial dues that Israel collects from Palestinian citizens to the Palestinian Authority.

Another issue of concern to the US administration relates to the terrorism of settlers who attack Palestinian towns and citizens and attack their property and sanctities. It is noteworthy that, following the war on Gaza, Smotrich demanded that Palestinians be prevented from picking olives.

American officials pointed out that Palestinian terrorism enhances Palestinian support for Hamas and other armed factions, and the main fear in Washington is that Palestinian security and police personnel will be involved in armed operations against Israeli targets, according to the newspaper.

According to the newspaper, the Israeli political level is “well aware” of the possibility that the economic distress in power will lead to an escalation of the situation in the West Bank, and that in recent weeks it has discussed several ways to transfer money to “West Bank residents,” especially workers who work in Israel during normal periods.

The newspaper added that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tried, “without success,” to reach an agreement with a third country that would agree to transfer a “basic living donation” to Palestinian workers who have not been allowed to work in Israel since the beginning of the war on Gaza. Israel also considered allowing Palestinian workers to withdraw money from savings funds, such as retirement or work compensation, which were deducted from their monthly salaries. Estimates in Israel indicate that 3.5 billion shekels were collected in these funds and that 65% of the workers who were working in Israel transferred money to them.

In Israel, they fear the expansion of Palestinian armed operations in the West Bank against Israeli targets, and that members of the Palestinian security services may join them. The newspaper pointed out that Netanyahu recently instructed the Israeli army to develop an action plan to “thwart an attack in the West Bank on settlements or towns near the contact line, within the framework of a plan similar to the one implemented by Hamas on October 7.”

The Israeli army is preparing for the possibility of armed Palestinian cells in the West Bank infiltrating settlements or into Israel. This comes at a time when the Israeli public considers that the second front that could flare up after the Gaza Strip is the front opposite Hezbollah in Lebanon.

According to the newspaper, the US administration is following the daily exchange of strikes between the Israeli army and Hezbollah and the Palestinian faction in Lebanon, but it estimates that a major escalation will occur from the West Bank. The Americans estimate that a major escalation in the West Bank will increase the possibility of igniting the front between Israel and Hezbollah.

Source: arab48