Just last week, only a few days before the widespread chaos in the PA is an accepted fact, the U.N.'s Middle East envoy Terje Larsen said that the Palestinian Authority is "in real danger of collapse." He further said that the PA had made no progress in combating terrorism against Israel - a statement for which he was sharply rebuked by PA leaders. (His remarks against Israel for not freezing settlement activity were not criticized by Israel.)
Larsen painted a grim picture of lawlessness in the Palestinian Authority, and blamed its failure to institute critical reforms on Yasser Arafat. "Clashes and showdowns between branches of Palestinian security forces are now common in the Gaza Strip," Larsen said, "where Palestinian Authority legal authority is receding fast in the face of the mounting power of arms, money and intimidation."
Larsen said that the "perceived Palestinian Authority abdication of responsibility" has led many Arabs in southern Gaza to take matters into their own hands, including establishing a checkpoint to prevent PA officials from entering Rafiach or crossing into Egypt. "Lawlessness and gang rule is becoming common in Nablus [Shechem]," Larsen added, noting that "Jericho is actually becoming the only Palestinian city with a functioning police... This collapse of authority cannot be attributed only to the Israeli incursions and operations inside Palestinian towns. The Palestinian Authority is in deep distress, and is in real danger of collapse."
Larsen painted a grim picture of lawlessness in the Palestinian Authority, and blamed its failure to institute critical reforms on Yasser Arafat. "Clashes and showdowns between branches of Palestinian security forces are now common in the Gaza Strip," Larsen said, "where Palestinian Authority legal authority is receding fast in the face of the mounting power of arms, money and intimidation."
Larsen said that the "perceived Palestinian Authority abdication of responsibility" has led many Arabs in southern Gaza to take matters into their own hands, including establishing a checkpoint to prevent PA officials from entering Rafiach or crossing into Egypt. "Lawlessness and gang rule is becoming common in Nablus [Shechem]," Larsen added, noting that "Jericho is actually becoming the only Palestinian city with a functioning police... This collapse of authority cannot be attributed only to the Israeli incursions and operations inside Palestinian towns. The Palestinian Authority is in deep distress, and is in real danger of collapse."