View source for Palestinian Authority

{{short description|Interim government in Western Asia}}
{{About|the Fatah-controlled government body|the state controlled by the Palestine Liberation Organization|Palestine|other uses|Palestine (disambiguation)}}
{{pp-extended|small=yes}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2025}}
{{Infobox geopolitical organization
| conventional_long_name = Palestinian National Authority
| native_name            = {{lang|ar|السلطة الوطنية الفلسطينية}}<br />''{{transliteration|ar|as-Sulṭa al-Waṭanīya al-Filasṭīnīya}}''
| image_flag             = File:Flag of Palestine.svg
| common_name            = Palestinian National Authority
| linking_name           = the Palestinian National Authority
| image_coat             = Coat of arms of the Palestinian National Authority.svg
| symbol_type            = [[Coat of arms of Palestine|Coat of arms]]
| anthem                 = {{lang|ar|فدائي}}<br>({{lower|0.1em|''[[Fida'i|Fidāʾī]]''}}; "''Warrior''"<ref name="Tamir Sorek">{{cite book|author=Tamir Sorek|title=Palestinian Commemoration in Israel Calendars, Monuments, and Martyrs|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xgRfBwAAQBAJ&pg=PA78|year=2015|publisher=Stanford University Press |isbn=978-0-8047-9520-3|page=78}}</ref><ref name="Nasser Abufarha">{{cite book|author=Nasser Abufarha|title=The Making of a Human Bomb An Ethnography of Palestinian Resistance|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WpMi4fsKu0AC&pg=PA43|year=2009|publisher=Duke University Press |isbn=978-0-8223-9211-8|pages=43}}</ref><ref name="Moslih">{{cite book |title=Palestinian Music and Song: Expression and Resistance since 1900|editor1=Kanaaneh, Moslih|editor2=Thorsén, Stig-Magnus|editor3=Bursheh, Heather|editor4=McDonald, David A.|year=2013|publisher=Indiana University Press|location=Bloomington and Indianapolis|series=Public Cultures of the Middle East and North Africa|isbn=978-0-253-01098-8|url=https://yplus.ps/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/Kanaaneh-M.-Thorsen-S.-M.-Bursheh-H.-and-McDonald-D.-A.-eds.-Palestinian-Music-and-Song.pdf|access-date=28 September 2025}}</ref>)<div style="padding-top:0.5em;">{{Center|[[File:Anthem of Palestine.ogg]]}}
</div>
| image_map              = File:Palestinian Authority and Gaza Strip 2024.png
| map_width              = 250px
| map_caption            = The Palestinian Authority (current ''de facto'' control in red) was created to exert partial civil control in the [[Palestinian enclaves|West Bank enclaves]] and in the [[Gaza Strip]].<ref name = "islands">{{harvnb|Thrall|2017|p=144|ps=: the West Bank was divided into 165 islands of ostensible PA control}}; {{harvnb|Peteet|2016|p=268|ps=:  In total, over 167 enclaves can be identified}}</ref> The Gaza Strip (in light red) is ''[[De jure|de jure]]'' under the Palestinian Authority<ref name=nyt_mideast-accord>[https://www.nytimes.com/1994/05/05/world/mideast-accord-overview-rabin-arafat-sign-accord-ending-israel-s-27-year-hold.html "Mideast accord: the overview; Rabin and Arafat sign accord ending Israel's 27-year hold on Jericho and the Gaza Strip"] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201209052541/https://www.nytimes.com/1994/05/05/world/mideast-accord-overview-rabin-arafat-sign-accord-ending-israel-s-27-year-hold.html |date=9 December 2020 }}. Chris Hedges, ''The New York Times'', 5 May 1994.</ref> and ''[[De facto|de facto]]'' under the administration of the [[Gaza Strip under Hamas|Hamas government]] since 2007.
| capital_type           = Administrative center
| capital                = [[Ramallah]]<br />{{smaller|{{coord|31|54|N|35|12|E|display=inline}}}}
| official_languages     = [[Modern Standard Arabic|Arabic]]
| org_type               = [[Provisional government|Provisional]] [[self-government]] body
| government_type        = Unitary [[semi-presidential system]]<ref name="cavatorta"/>
| leader_title1          = [[President of the Palestinian National Authority|President]]
| leader_name1           = [[Mahmoud Abbas]]
| leader_title2          = [[Prime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority|Prime Minister]]
| leader_name2           = [[Mohammad Mustafa (politician)|Mohammad Mustafa]]
| legislature            = [[Palestinian Legislative Council|Legislative Council]]
| area_km2               = 
| area_sq_mi             = 
| area_footnote          = <span style=white-space:nowrap;><br /> - [[West Bank]]: 5,860 km{{sup|2}}<br /> - [[Gaza Strip]]: 360 km{{sup|2}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/gaza-strip/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210112082940/https://www.cia.gov/the-world-factbook/countries/gaza-strip |url-status=dead |archive-date=12 January 2021 |title=The World Factbook: Middle East: Gaza Strip |publisher=Central Intelligence Agency |date=12 May 2014 |access-date=8 June 2014 }}</ref></span>
| percent_water          = 
| population_estimate    = 
| population_estimate_rank = 
| population_estimate_year = 
| population_density_km2 = 
| population_density_rank = 
| population_density_sq_mi = 
| population_census_year = 
| GDP_PPP                = 
| GDP_PPP_rank           = –
| GDP_PPP_year           = 
| GDP_PPP_per_capita     = 
| GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = –
| sovereignty_type       = Partial delegation of civil powers
| sovereignty_note       = from [[Israel]]i administration
| established_event1     = [[Oslo I Accord|Initial accords]]
| established_date1      = {{nowrap|13 September 1993}}
| established_event2     = [[Gaza–Jericho Agreement|Palestinian Authority formed]]
| established_date2      = 4 May 1994
| established_event3     = [[Oslo II Accord]]
| established_date3      = {{nowrap|28 September 1995}}
| established_event4     = [[Battle of Gaza (2007)|Fatah–Hamas civil war]]
| established_date4      = 14 June 2007
| established_event5     = [[State of Palestine]] [[United Nations General Assembly resolution 67/19|becomes a non-member observer state in UN]]
| established_date5      = 29 November 2012
| Gini_year              = 
| Gini_change            = <!--increase/decrease/steady-->
| Gini                   = 
| Gini_ref               = 
| Gini_rank              = 
| HDI_year               = <!-- Please use the year to which the data refers, not the publication year-->
| HDI_change             = <!--increase/decrease/steady-->
| HDI                    = <!--number only, between 0 and 1-->
| HDI_ref                = 
| HDI_rank               = 
| currency               = {{unbulleted list |[[Egyptian pound]] ([[ISO 4217|EGP]]) |[[Israeli new shekel]] (ILS) |[[Jordanian dinar]] (JOD)<ref>{{Citation
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20040807173720/http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Peace%2BProcess/Guide%2Bto%2Bthe%2BPeace%2BProcess/Gaza-Jericho%2BAgreement%2BAnnex%2BIV%2B-%2BEconomic%2BProtoco.htm
 |archive-date = 7 August 2004
 |publisher    = Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs
 |url          = http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Peace+Process/Guide+to+the+Peace+Process/Gaza-Jericho+Agreement+Annex+IV+-+Economic+Protoco.htm
 |access-date  = 20 February 2023
 |title        = Gaza-Jericho Agreement Annex IV – Economic Protocol
 |chapter      = Article IV: Monetary and Financial Issues
 |date         = 29 April 1994
 |url-status   = live
}}{{pb}}The Protocol allows the Palestinian Authority to adopt multiple currencies. In the [[West Bank]], the Israeli new sheqel and Jordanian dinar are widely accepted; while in the [[Gaza Strip]], the Israeli new sheqel and Egyptian pound are widely accepted.</ref>|}}
| iso3166code            = PS
| time_zone              = [[Eastern European Time|EET]]
| utc_offset             = +2
| time_zone_DST          = [[Eastern European Summer Time|EEST]]
| utc_offset_DST         = +3
| date_format            = dd/mm/yyyy<!--numeric dates (dd-mm-yyyy, yyyy.mm.dd, etc.) plus era (CE, AD, AH, etc.)-->
| calling_code           = [[+970]]
| cctld                  = [[.ps]]
| footnotes              = 
}}
The '''Palestinian Authority''' ('''PA'''), officially known as the '''Palestinian National Authority''' ('''PNA'''),{{efn|{{langx|ar|السلطة الوطنية الفلسطينية}} ''{{transliteration|ar|as-Sulṭa al-Waṭanīya al-Filasṭīnīya}}''}}<ref name="aljazeera.com">{{Cite news| date= 8 January 2013|title=Palestine: What is in a name (change)? | publisher= Al Jazeera| series = Inside Story|url=http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/insidestory/2013/01/2013186722389860.html|access-date=20 February 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200321061622/http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/insidestory/2013/01/2013186722389860.html |archive-date=21 March 2020 }}</ref> is the [[Fatah]]-controlled government body that exercises partial civil control over the [[Palestinian enclaves]] in the [[Israeli occupation of the West Bank|Israeli-occupied West Bank]] as a consequence of the 1993–1995 [[Oslo Accords]].<ref name = "islands"/><ref name=Rudoren>{{cite news |title=The Palestinian Authority |url=http://topics.nytimes.com/topics/reference/timestopics/organizations/p/palestinian_authority/index.html | work=The New York Times | first=Jodi |last=Rudoren}}</ref><ref name="CNN">{{cite news |date=5 April 2001 |title=The Palestinian government |url=http://www.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/meast/04/05/palestinian.explainer/index.html |access-date=26 November 2012 |publisher=[[CNN]]}}</ref> The Palestinian Authority controlled the [[Gaza Strip]] prior to the [[2006 Palestinian legislative election|Palestinian elections of 2006]] and the subsequent [[Battle of Gaza (2007)|Gaza conflict]] between the Fatah and [[Hamas]] parties, when it lost control to Hamas; the PA continues to claim the Gaza Strip, although Hamas exercises ''de facto'' control. Since January 2013, following [[United Nations General Assembly resolution 67/19]], the Palestinian Authority has used the name "[[State of Palestine]]" on official documents, without prejudice to the [[Palestine Liberation Organization]] (PLO) role as "representative of the [[Palestinians|Palestinian]] people".<ref>{{Cite web|title=Status of Palestine in the UN – Non-member observer State status – SecGen report|url=https://www.un.org/unispal/document/auto-insert-182149/|access-date=13 December 2021|website=Question of Palestine}}</ref>

The Palestinian Authority was formed on 4 May 1994, pursuant to the [[Gaza–Jericho Agreement]] between the PLO and the government of [[Israel]], and was intended to be a five-year [[Provisional government|interim body]]. Further negotiations were then meant to take place between the two parties regarding its final status. According to the Oslo Accords, the Palestinian Authority was designated to have exclusive control over both security-related and civilian issues{{Clarify|reason=Just what are exactly those: "…security-related and civilian issues [in Palestinian urban areas]", or the: "civilian control [in rural ares]", that the PNA is entitled, or responsible, to take care of? I can't find any concrete descriptions, nor references to any source, for those practical tasks that are delegated to the PNA.|date=March 2024}} in Palestinian urban areas (referred to as "[[West Bank Areas in the Oslo II Accord#Area A|Area A]]") and only civilian control over Palestinian rural areas ("[[West Bank areas in the Oslo II Accord#Area B|Area B]]"). The remainder of the territories, including [[Israeli settlements]], the [[Jordan Valley]] region and bypass roads between Palestinian communities, were to remain under Israeli control ("[[Area C (West Bank)|Area C]]"). [[East Jerusalem]] was excluded from the Accords. Negotiations with several Israeli governments had resulted in the Authority gaining further control of some areas, but control was then lost in some areas when the [[Israel Defense Forces]] (IDF) retook several strategic positions during the [[Second Intifada|Second ("Al-Aqsa") Intifada]]. In 2005, after the Second Intifada, Israel [[Israeli disengagement from Gaza|withdrew unilaterally from its settlements in the Gaza Strip]], thereby expanding Palestinian Authority control to the entire strip<ref>{{Cite book|last=Kumaraswamy|first=P. R.|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hKXvCSc93zEC&pg=PR40|title=The A to Z of the Arab-Israeli Conflict|date=2009| page = xl| series = The A to Z Guide Series | volume= 66|publisher=Scarecrow Press|isbn=978-0-8108-7015-4}}</ref> while Israel continued to control the [[Israel–Gaza barrier#Crossing points|crossing points]], airspace, and the waters of the Gaza Strip's coast.<ref>{{cite news|title=Israel completes Gaza withdrawal|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/4235768.stm|access-date=16 March 2016|publisher=[[BBC News]]|date=12 September 2005}}</ref>

In the [[2006 Palestinian legislative election|Palestinian legislative elections]] on 25 January 2006, Hamas emerged victorious and nominated [[Ismail Haniyeh]] as the Authority's [[Prime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority|prime minister]]. However, the national unity Palestinian government effectively collapsed, when a violent conflict between Hamas and Fatah erupted, mainly in the Gaza Strip. After the Gaza Strip was taken over by Hamas on 14 June 2007, the Authority's chairman [[Mahmoud Abbas]] dismissed the [[Palestinian March 2007 National Unity Government|Hamas-led unity government]] and appointed [[Salam Fayyad]] as prime minister, dismissing Haniyeh. The move wasn't recognized by Hamas, thus resulting in two separate administrations – the Fatah-led Palestinian Authority in the West Bank and a rival [[Gaza Strip under Hamas|Hamas government]] in the Gaza Strip. The [[Fatah–Hamas reconciliation process|reconciliation process]] to unite the Palestinian governments achieved some progress over the years, but had failed to produce a re-unification.

The Palestinian Authority received financial assistance from the [[European Union]] and the United States (approximately US$1 billion combined in 2005). All direct aid was suspended on 7 April 2006, as a result of the Hamas victory in parliamentary elections.<ref name="Ref_2006">{{Citation|title=US suspends aid to Palestinians|publisher=BBC News|url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4889668.stm|access-date=7 April 2006 | date=7 April 2006}}</ref><ref name="Ref_2006a">{{Citation|title=Abbas warns of financial crisis|publisher=BBC News|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4730568.stm|access-date=19 February 2006 | date=20 February 2006}}</ref> Shortly thereafter, aid payments resumed, but were channeled directly to the offices of Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank.<ref name=Haaretzaid>{{Citation|title=U.S. to allow PA funds to be channeled through Abbas office|author=Akiva Eldar|work=Haaretz|url=https://www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=712624|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121022145454/http://www.haaretz.com/news/u-s-to-allow-pa-funds-to-be-channeled-through-abbas-office-1.186926|url-status=dead|archive-date=22 October 2012}}</ref> Since 9 January 2009, when Mahmoud Abbas' term as president was supposed to have ended and elections were to have been called, Hamas supporters and many in the Gaza Strip have withdrawn recognition for his presidency and instead consider [[Aziz Dweik]], the speaker of the [[Palestinian Legislative Council]], to be the acting president until new elections can be held.<ref name=Globe>{{Citation|title=Fancy that, a moderate in Hamas|author=Patrick Martin|url=https://www.theglobeandmail.com/blogs/mideast-notebook/fancy-that-a-moderate-in-hamas/article1200923/|date=18 July 2009|access-date=3 August 2009|work=The Globe and Mail|location=Toronto|archive-date=23 August 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090823072836/http://www.theglobeandmail.com/blogs/mideast-notebook/fancy-that-a-moderate-in-hamas/article1200923/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The State of Palestine is recognized by [[International recognition of Palestine|157 nations]] {{as of|2025|September|lc=y}}.<ref>{{Cite news |date=23 September 2025 |title=Which are the 150+ countries that have recognised Palestine as of 2025? |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/9/23/which-are-the-150-countries-that-have-recognised-palestine-as-of-2025 |access-date=29 September 2025 |work=Al Jazeera }}</ref> In November 2012, the [[United Nations]] voted to recognize the State of Palestine as a [[Observer status|non-member UN observer state]].<ref name="Gharib">{{cite web|url=http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/12/20/u-n-adds-new-name-state-of-palestine.html |title=U.N. Adds New Name: "State of Palestine" |last=Gharib |first=Ali |date=20 December 2012 |access-date=10 January 2013 |website=[[The Daily Beast]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130101145115/http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/12/20/u-n-adds-new-name-state-of-palestine.html |archive-date=1 January 2013 }}</ref><ref name="un.int">{{cite web |url-status=dead |url=http://www.un.int/wcm/content/site/palestine/ |title=Permanent Observer Mission of Palestine to the United Nations. |quote=**Please note that since Thursday's Historic Vote in the United Nations General Assembly which accorded to Palestine Observer State Status, the official title of the Palestine mission has been changed to The Permanent Observer Mission of the State of Palestine to the United Nations.** |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130131073609/http://www.un.int/wcm/content/site/palestine/ |archive-date=31 January 2013 |publisher=United Nations |access-date=25 August 2013}}</ref><ref name="unispal1">{{cite web |url-status=dead |url=https://unispal.un.org/unispal.nsf/0080ef30efce525585256c38006eacae/181c72112f4d0e0685257ac500515c6c?OpenDocument |title=A/67/L.28 of 26 November 2012 and A/RES/67/19 of 29 November 2012 |publisher=United Nations |access-date=2 December 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121210160010/http://unispal.un.org/unispal.nsf/0080ef30efce525585256c38006eacae/181c72112f4d0e0685257ac500515c6c?OpenDocument |archive-date=10 December 2012}}</ref> Widely considered an [[Authoritarianism|authoritarian regime]], the Palestinian Authority has not held elections in over 15 years. It has been criticized for [[human rights]] abuses, including cracking down on [[journalist]]s, [[Human rights defender|human rights activists]], and dissent against its rule.<ref>Multiple sources:

* {{Cite web|last=Rahman|first=Omar H.|title=U.S. Support Is Keeping the Undemocratic Palestinian Authority Alive|url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2021/07/02/nizar-banat-palestinian-authority-pa-abbas-survive-without-us-support/|access-date=5 December 2021|website=Foreign Policy|date=2 July 2021}}
* {{Cite web|last=Oppenheim|first=Beth|title=Halting Palestine's Democratic Decline|url=https://carnegieeurope.eu/2021/04/23/halting-palestine-s-democratic-decline-pub-84383|access-date=5 December 2021|website=Carnegie Europe}}
* {{Cite report|date=23 October 2018|title=Two Authorities, One Way, Zero Dissent: Arbitrary Arrest and Torture Under the Palestinian Authority and Hamas|url=https://www.hrw.org/report/2018/10/23/two-authorities-one-way-zero-dissent/arbitrary-arrest-and-torture-under|publisher=[[Human Rights Watch]]}}
* {{Cite book|last=El Kurd|first=Dana|url=https://oxford.universitypressscholarship.com/view/10.1093/oso/9780190095864.001.0001/oso-9780190095864|title=Polarized and Demobilized: Legacies of Authoritarianism in Palestine|date=2020|publisher=Oxford University Press|isbn=978-0-19-009586-4|doi=10.1093/oso/9780190095864.001.0001 }}
* {{Cite web|author1=Hugh Lovatt |author2=Saleh Hijazi |date=20 April 2017|title=Europe and the Palestinian Authority's Authoritarian Drift – European Council on Foreign Relations|url=https://ecfr.eu/article/commentary_europe_and_the_palestinian_authoritys_authoritarian_drift_7274/|access-date=5 December 2021|website=ECFR}}
* {{Cite news|last1=Kershner|first1=Isabel|last2=Rasgon|first2=Adam|date=7 July 2021|title=Critic's Death Puts Focus on Palestinian Authority's Authoritarianism|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/07/07/world/middleeast/Palestinian-Authority-protesters.html|access-date=5 December 2021|issn=0362-4331}}
* {{Cite web|title=West Bank: Freedom in the World 2021 Country Report|url=https://freedomhouse.org/country/west-bank/freedom-world/2021|access-date=5 December 2021|website=Freedom House}}</ref>

==History==

===Establishment===
{{for|the history of the area controlled by the Palestinian Authority prior to its establishment|History of Palestine}}
[[File:Bill Clinton, Yitzhak Rabin, Yasser Arafat at the White House 1993-09-13.jpg|thumb|[[Yitzhak Rabin]], [[Bill Clinton]] and [[Yasser Arafat]] at the [[Oslo Accords]] signing ceremony on 13 September 1993]]

The Palestinian Authority was created by the [[Gaza–Jericho Agreement]], pursuant to the 1993 [[Oslo Accords#Palestinian Authority and Legislative Council|Oslo Accords]]. The Gaza–Jericho Agreement was signed on 4 May 1994 and included Israeli withdrawal from the [[Jericho]] area and partially from the Gaza Strip, and detailed the creation of the Palestinian Authority and the [[Palestinian Civil Police Force]].<ref name=Rudoren/><ref name=CNN/>

The PA was envisioned as an interim organization to administer a limited form of Palestinian self-governance in the [[Palestinian enclaves]] in the [[West Bank]] and [[Gaza Strip]] for a period of five years, during which final-status negotiations would take place.<ref name="Ref_f">Oslo Accords, Article I</ref><ref name="Ref_g">[[Oslo Accords]], Article V</ref><ref name="Ref_h">[[Gaza–Jericho Agreement]], Article XXIII, Section 3</ref> The [[Palestinian Central Council]], itself acting on behalf of the [[Palestine National Council]] of the PLO, implemented this agreement in a meeting convened in [[Tunis]] from 10 to 11 October 1993, making the Palestinian Authority accountable to the [[PLO Executive Committee]].<ref name="icj_wall_palestine_written">Pages 44–49 of the [http://www.icj-cij.org/docket/files/131/1555.pdf written statement submitted by Palestine] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090205004758/http://www.icj-cij.org/docket/files/131/1555.pdf |date=5 February 2009 }}, 29 January 2004, in the International Court of Justice [http://www.icj-cij.org/docket/index.php?p1=3&p2=2 Advisory Proceedings] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150906030830/http://www.icj-cij.org/docket/index.php?p1=3&p2=2 |date=6 September 2015 }} on the [http://www.icj-cij.org/docket/index.php?p1=3&p2=4&code=mwp&case=131&k=5a Legal Consequences of the Construction of a Wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territory] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080430104232/http://www.icj-cij.org/docket/index.php?p1=3&p2=4&code=mwp&case=131&k=5a |date=30 April 2008 }}, [http://www.icj-cij.org/docket/files/131/1497.pdf referred to the court] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090205005443/http://www.icj-cij.org/docket/files/131/1497.pdf |date=5 February 2009 }} by U.N. General Assembly resolution A/RES/ES-10/14 (A/ES-10/L.16) adopted on 8 December 2003 at the 23rd Meeting of the Resumed Tenth Emergency Special Session.</ref>

The administrative responsibilities accorded to the PA were limited to civil matters and internal security and did not include external security or foreign affairs.<ref name=Eurp521>{{harvnb|Eur|2003|p=521}}</ref> Palestinians in the [[Palestinian diaspora|diaspora]] and [[Arab citizens of Israel|inside Israel]] were not eligible to vote in elections for the offices of the Palestinian Authority.<ref name=Rothsteinp63>{{harvnb|Rothstein|1999|p=63}}</ref> The PA was legally separate from the [[Palestine Liberation Organization]] (PLO), which continues to enjoy [[Foreign relations of the Palestine Liberation Organization|international recognition]] as the sole legitimate representative of the [[Palestinian people]], representing them at the United Nations under the name "[[United Nations General Assembly observers#Palestine|Palestine]]".<ref name=Brownp49>{{harvnb|Brown|2003|p=49}}</ref><ref name=Watsonp62>{{harvnb|Watson|2000|p=62}}</ref>

General elections were held for its first legislative body, the [[Palestinian Legislative Council]], on 20 January 1996.<ref name="icj_wall_palestine_written"/> The expiration of the body's term was 4 May 1999, but elections were not held because of the "prevailing coercive situation".<ref name="icj_wall_palestine_written"/>

===Second Intifada===

On 7 July 2004, the [[Quartet on the Middle East|Quartet]] of Middle East mediators informed [[Ahmed Qurei]], [[Prime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority|Prime Minister]] of the PA from 2003 to 2006, that they were "sick and tired" of the Palestinians failure to carry out promised reforms: "If security reforms are not done, there will be no (more) international support and no funding from the international community"<ref name="Ref_i">{{Citation|title=Mediators tell Palestinians to reform or lose aid |work=China Daily |url=http://www2.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2004-07/08/content_346590.htm |access-date=19 February 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060210062747/http://www2.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2004-07/08/content_346590.htm |archive-date=10 February 2006 }}</ref>

On 18 July 2004, United States President [[George W. Bush]] stated that the establishment of a Palestinian state by the end of 2005 was unlikely due to instability and violence in the Palestinian Authority.<ref name="Ref_j">{{Citation |title=Bataille pour le trésor de l'OLP |work=Le Figaro |url=http://www.lefigaro.fr/ |access-date=6 February 2005 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041109092145/http://www.lefigaro.fr/ |archive-date=9 November 2004 }}</ref>

Following Arafat's death on 11 November 2004, [[Rawhi Fattouh]], leader of the [[Palestinian Legislative Council]] became [[acting president]] of the Palestinian Authority as provided for in Article 54(2) of the Authority's Basic Law and Palestinian Elections Law.<ref name="Ref_k">{{Citation|title=The Basic Law |publisher=miftah.org |url=http://www.miftah.org/Display.cfm?DocId=790&CategoryId=10 |access-date=29 May 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060619015653/http://www.miftah.org/Display.cfm?DocId=790&CategoryId=10 |archive-date=19 June 2006 }}</ref>

On 19 April 2005, President [[Vladimir Putin]] of Russia agreed to aid the Palestinian Authority stating, "We support the efforts of President Abbas to reform the security services and fight against terrorism [...] If we are waiting for President Abbas to fight terrorism, he cannot do it with the resources he has now. [...] We will give the Palestinian Authority technical help by sending equipment, training people. We will give the Palestinian Authority helicopters and also communication equipment."<ref name="Ref_2005">{{Citation | title= Putin offers to help Palestinians |publisher=BBC | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/4496273.stm | access-date=19 February 2006 | date=29 April 2005}}</ref>

The Palestinian Authority became responsible for civil administration in some rural areas, as well as security in the major cities of the [[West Bank]] and the [[Gaza Strip]]. Although the five-year interim period expired in 1999, the final status agreement has yet to be concluded despite attempts such as the [[2000 Camp David Summit]], the [[Taba Summit]], and the unofficial [[Geneva Accords (2003)|Geneva Accords]].

[[File:West Bank July 2008 CIA remote-sensing map 3000px.jpg|thumb|right|300px|[[Central Intelligence Agency|CIA]] [[Remote sensing|remote-sensing]] map of areas governed by the Palestinian Authority, July 2008.]]
In August 2005, [[Prime Minister of Israel|Israeli Prime Minister]] [[Ariel Sharon]] began his [[Israeli disengagement from Gaza|disengagement from the Gaza Strip]], ceding full effective internal control of the Strip to the Palestinian Authority but retained control of its borders including air and sea (except for the Egyptian border). This increased the percentage of land in the Gaza Strip nominally governed by the PA from 60 percent to 100 percent.

===Hamas–Fatah conflict===
[[File:Palestinian legislative election 2006.png|300px|thumb|The [[2006 Palestinian legislative election|Palestinian legislative election in 2006]], Hamas (green) and Fatah (yellow)]]
{{main|Fatah–Hamas conflict|Gaza Strip under Hamas}}
[[2006 Palestinian legislative election|Palestinian legislative elections]] took place on 25 January 2006. [[Hamas]] was victorious and [[Ismail Haniyeh]] was nominated as prime minister on 16 February 2006 and sworn in on 29 March 2006. However, when a Hamas-led Palestinian government was formed, the [[Quartet on the Middle East|Quartet]] (United States, Russia, United Nations, and European Union) conditioned future foreign assistance to the Palestinian Authority (PA) on the future government's commitment to non-violence, recognition of the State of Israel, and acceptance of previous agreements. Hamas rejected these demands,<ref>CRS Report for Congress, 27 June 2006, [https://fpc.state.gov/documents/organization/68794.pdf ''U.S. Foreign Aid to the Palestinians''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140826185858/http://fpc.state.gov/documents/organization/68794.pdf |date=26 August 2014 }}</ref> which resulted in the Quartet suspension of its foreign assistance program and [[Israel]] imposed [[2006–2007 economic sanctions against the Palestinian National Authority|economic sanctions]].

In December 2006, [[Ismail Haniyeh]], Prime Minister of the PA, declared that the PA will never recognize Israel: "We will never recognize the usurper Zionist government and will continue our jihad-like movement until the liberation of Jerusalem."<ref name="Ref_2006b">{{Citation|date=8 December 2006|url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2006-12-08-palestinian-pm_x.htm?POE=NEWISVA|title=Palestinian prime minister vows not to recognize Israel|agency=Associated Press | work=USA Today | access-date=21 May 2010}}</ref>

In an attempt to resolve the financial and diplomatic impasse, the Hamas-led government together with Fatah Chairman (and PA President) [[Mahmoud Abbas]] agreed to form a [[Palestinian government of March 2007|unity government]]. As a result, Haniyeh resigned on 15 February 2007 as part of the agreement. The unity government was finally formed on 18 March 2007, again under Prime Minister [[Ismail Haniyeh]], and consisted of members from Hamas, Fatah and other parties and independents. The situation in the Gaza strip however quickly deteriorated into an open feud between the Hamas and Fatah, which eventually resulted in the [[Battle for Gaza (2007)|''Brothers' War'']].

After the [[Battle for Gaza (2007)|takeover in Gaza by Hamas]] on 14 June 2007, Palestinian Authority President Abbas dismissed the government and created a new one by decree (without the approval of the Palestinian legislature) on 15 June 2007, appointing [[Salam Fayyad]] as [[Prime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority|Prime Minister]] to form the new government. Though the new government's authority is claimed to extend to all Palestinian territories, in effect it became limited to the Palestinian Authority-controlled areas of the [[West Bank]], as Hamas hasn't recognized the move. The Fayyad government has won widespread international support. Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia said in late June 2007 that the West Bank-based Cabinet formed by Fayyad was the sole legitimate Palestinian government, and Egypt moved its embassy from Gaza to the West Bank.<ref name="Ref_l">{{cite web|agency=Associated Press|url=https://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/874106.html|title=Mubarak Calls Hamas' Takeover of the Gaza Strip a 'Coup'|work=Haaretz|location=Israel|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070625201301/http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/874106.html|archive-date=25 June 2007|date=4 May 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> Hamas, which [[Gaza Strip under Hamas|government]] has an effective control of the Gaza Strip since 2007, faces international diplomatic and economic isolation.

In 2013, political analyst Hillel Frisch from [[Bar-Ilan University]]'s BESA Center, noted that "The PA is playing a double game...with regards to battling Hamas, there's coordination if not cooperation with Israel. But on the political front, the PA is trying to generate a popular intifada."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.timesofisrael.com/prisoner-protests-mark-pa-effort-to-start-a-popular-intifada/|title=Prisoner protests mark PA effort to start a 'popular intifada'|first=Elhanan|last=Miller|website=The Times of Israel |date=21 February 2013 }}</ref>

===Two PNA administrations===
Since the Hamas-Fatah split in 2007, the Fatah-dominated Palestinian Authority based in areas of the West Bank had stabilized, though no significant economic growth had been achieved. Until 2012, there had also been no progress in promotion of PNA status in the UN, as well in negotiations with Israel. Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority stayed out of the [[Gaza War (2008–09)|Gaza War]] in 2008–2009, which followed the six-month [[truce]]<!--truce explained in "Background" section, in other articles on topic, and in the sources provided -->, between Hamas and Israel which ended on 19 December 2008.<ref name="bjt-tip-point-cross-border-figthing">{{Citation |url=http://www.jewishtimes.com/index.php/jewishtimes/news/jt/cover_story/tipping_point/9631 |title=Tipping Point After years of rocket attacks, Israel finally says, 'Enough!' |last=Jacobs |first=Phil |date=30 December 2008 |work=Baltimore Jewish Times |access-date=7 January 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090115020744/http://www.jewishtimes.com/index.php/jewishtimes/news/jt/cover_story/tipping_point/9631 |archive-date=15 January 2009 }}</ref><ref name=NYTimes-truce>{{Citation |author=Isabel Kershner| title = Israel Agrees to Truce with Hamas on Gaza | work = The New York Times | access-date =28 December 2008 | date = 18 June 2008 | url = https://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/18/world/middleeast/18mideast.html?_r=1&fta=y | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090417043110/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/18/world/middleeast/18mideast.html?_r=1&fta=y| url-status = live | archive-date=17 April 2009 }}</ref><ref name="Ref_2009">{{Cite news|title=TIMELINE – Israeli-Hamas violence since truce ended|url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUKTRE50423320090105|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090118161927/http://uk.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUKTRE50423320090105|url-status=dead|archive-date=18 January 2009|work=Reuters| date=5 January 2009}}</ref> Hamas claimed that Israel broke the truce on 4 November 2008,<ref name="Ref_m">{{Cite news|last=McCarthy|first=Rory|date=5 November 2008|title=Gaza truce broken as Israeli raid kills six Hamas gunmen| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180106161636/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/nov/05/israelandthepalestinians |archive-date=6 January 2018|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/nov/05/israelandthepalestinians|access-date=20 February 2023|issn=0261-3077}}</ref><ref name="Ref_n">{{Cite news|last=McGreal|first=Chris|date=4 January 2009|title=Why Israel went to war in Gaza|work=The Observer| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160922195308/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/jan/04/israel-gaza-hamas-hidden-agenda |archive-date=22 September 2016|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/jan/04/israel-gaza-hamas-hidden-agenda|access-date=20 February 2023|issn=0029-7712}}</ref> though Israel blamed Hamas for an increasing [[List of rocket and mortar attacks in Israel in 2008|rocket fire]] directed at southern Israeli towns and cities.<ref name="Ref_2008">{{Citation|title=Hamas declares Israel truce over|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7791100.stm|publisher=BBC News | date=22 December 2008 | access-date=3 January 2010}}</ref> The [[2008–2009 Israel–Gaza conflict]] began on 27 December 2008 (11:30 [[Ante meridiem|a.m.]] local time; 09:30 [[UTC]]).<ref name="Harel2008">{{Citation|url=https://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1050405.html|title=ANALYSIS / IAF strike on Gaza is Israel's version of 'shock and awe'|last=Harel|first=Amos|date=27 December 2008|work=Haaretz|access-date=27 December 2008|archive-date=25 August 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090825110007/http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1050405.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Though condemning Israel over attacks on Gaza, the Palestinian Authority erected no actions during the conflict of Israel with Hamas.

The [[Fatah–Hamas reconciliation process|reconciliation process]] between Fatah and Hamas reached intermediate results by the two governments, most notably the agreement in Cairo on 27 April 2011, but with no final solution. Though the two agreed to form a unity government,<ref name="cnnunity"/> and to hold [[Next Palestinian general election|elections]] in both territories within 12 months of the establishment of such a government,<ref name="ruvr">{{Cite news|title=Fatah, Hamas agree general elections|url=http://english.ruvr.ru/2011/04/27/49559693.html|newspaper=The Voice of Russia|date=27 April 2011|access-date=28 April 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110920180527/http://english.ruvr.ru/2011/04/27/49559693.html|archive-date=20 September 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|author1=Levy, Elior |author2=Somfalvi, Attila |title=Fatah, Hamas sign reconciliation agreement|url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4061418,00.html|newspaper=Ynetnews|publisher=Israel News; Yedioth Internet|date=27 April 2011|access-date=28 April 2011}}</ref> it had not been implemented. The 2011 deal also promised the entry of [[Hamas]] into the [[Palestine Liberation Organization]] and holding of elections to its [[Palestine National Council]] decision-making body, which was not implemented as well. The deal was further ratified in the 2012 [[Hamas–Fatah Doha agreement]], which was made with the background of Hamas relocation from Damascus, due to the simmering [[Syrian civil war]].

Since late August 2012, Palestinian National Authority has been swept with [[2012 Palestinian protests|social protests]] aiming against the cost of living. The protesters targeted the Palestinian prime minister Salam Fayyad, calling for his resignation. Some anti-government protests turned violent.<ref name=bbc1109/> On 11 September, Palestinian prime minister issued a decree on lowering the fuel prices and cutting salaries of top officials.<ref name=bbc1109>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-19556951 |title=Palestinian PM unveils measures to calm protests |publisher=BBC |date=11 September 2012 |access-date=26 November 2012}}</ref>

In July 2012, it was reported that the [[Gaza Strip under Hamas|Hamas Government in Gaza]] was considering to declare the independence of the Gaza Strip with the help of Egypt.<ref name="english.alarabiya.net">{{cite web |url=http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2012/07/31/229595.html |title=Report of possible Gaza independence stirs debate |publisher=Al Arabiya |date=31 July 2012 |access-date=26 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121014181327/http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2012/07/31/229595.html |archive-date=14 October 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

On 23 April 2014 [[Ismail Haniyeh]], the prime minister of Hamas, and a senior [[Palestine Liberation Organisation]] delegation dispatched by Palestinian president [[Mahmoud Abbas]] signed the [[2014 Fatah–Hamas Gaza Agreement|Fatah–Hamas Gaza Agreement]] at [[Gaza City]] in an attempt to create [[Fatah–Hamas reconciliation process|reconciliation]] in the [[Fatah–Hamas conflict]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Beaumont |first1=Peter |last2=Lewis |first2=Paul |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/23/plo-hamas-agree-unity-pact-form-government |title=Fatah and Hamas agree landmark pact after seven-year rift |newspaper=The Guardian|date=24 April 2014 |access-date=24 April 2014}}</ref> It stated that a unity government should be formed within five weeks, ahead of a presidential and parliamentary election within six months.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.france24.com/en/20140423-fatah-hamas-agree-palestinian-unity-government/ |title=Fatah, Hamas agree to form Palestinian unity government |publisher=France 24 |date=23 April 2014 |access-date=23 April 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140424015211/http://www.france24.com/en/20140423-fatah-hamas-agree-palestinian-unity-government/ |archive-date=24 April 2014 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The [[Palestinian unity government of 2014]] formed on 2 June 2014 as a national and [[unity government|political union]] under [[President of the State of Palestine|Palestinian president]] [[Mahmoud Abbas]]. The European Union, the United Nations, the United States, China, India, Russia and Turkey all agreed to work with it.<ref>{{Cite news| date = 6 March 2014| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210527102005/https://www.jpost.com/Diplomacy-and-Politics/EU-says-open-to-working-with-Palestinian-unity-government-355252 |archive-date=27 May 2021|title=International community welcomes Palestinian unity government|work=The Jerusalem Post |url=https://www.jpost.com/Diplomacy-and-Politics/EU-says-open-to-working-with-Palestinian-unity-government-355252|access-date=20 February 2023}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210314165927/https://thediplomat.com/2014/06/india-and-china-back-unified-palestinian-government/| archive-date = 14 March 2021| date = 4 June 2014|last=Panda|first=Ankit|title=India and China Back Unified Palestinian Government|url=https://thediplomat.com/2014/06/india-and-china-back-unified-palestinian-government/|access-date=20 February 2023|website=thediplomat.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news| author1-last=Wroughton| author1-first=Lesley | author2-last=Zengerle| author2-first= Patricia | date=2 June 2014| url = https://www.reuters.com/article/us-palestinian-unity-usa-idUSKBN0ED1VQ20140603 | title=Obama administration to work with Palestinian unity government|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151018005920/http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/06/03/us-palestinian-unity-usa-idUSKBN0ED1VQ20140603 |archive-date=18 October 2015 | work= Reuters|access-date=20 February 2023}}</ref><ref name=h20140603>{{cite news |title=Amid wave of endorsements, PM 'troubled' by U.S. decision to work with Palestinian gov't |url=https://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/1.596907 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140603175716/http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/1.596907 |url-status=dead |archive-date=3 June 2014 |newspaper=Haaretz |date=3 June 2014}}</ref> The [[Israeli government]] condemned the unity government because it views Hamas as a terrorist organization.<ref>{{cite news |title=Palestinian unity government sworn in by Mahmoud Abbas |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-27660218 |access-date=2 June 2014 |publisher=BBC News |date=2 June 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Rudoren |first1=Jodi |last2=Kershner |first2=Isabel |title=With Hope for Unity, Abbas Swears in a New Palestinian Government |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/03/world/middleeast/abbas-swears-in-a-new-palestinian-government.html |access-date=2 June 2014 |work=The New York Times |date=2 June 2014}}</ref> The Palestinian unity government first convened in Gaza on 9 October 2014 to discuss the reconstruction of the Gaza Strip following the [[2014 Israel–Gaza conflict]]. On 30 November 2014, Hamas declared that the unity government had ended with the expiration of the six-month term.<ref>{{cite web |website=The Jerusalem Post|title=Hamas says unity government is over |author=Ariel Ben Solomon |date=30 November 2014 |url=https://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Hamas-rejects-Abbas-claim-that-it-colluded-with-Israel-and-says-unity-government-is-over-383264}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Hamas: Palestinian unity govt has expired |date=30 November 2014 |url=http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=743683 |website=Ma'an News Agency |access-date=30 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150130021854/http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=743683 |archive-date=30 January 2015 |url-status=dead }}</ref> But Fatah subsequently denied the claim, and said that the government is still in force.<ref>{{cite web |title=Fatah official denies unity government mandate has ended |author=Lazar Berman |website=[[The Times of Israel]] |date=1 December 2014 |url=http://www.timesofisrael.com/fatah-official-denies-unity-government-mandate-has-ended/}}</ref>

On 7–8 February 2016, Fatah and Hamas held talks in [[Doha]], [[Qatar]] in an attempt to implement the 2014 agreements. Hamas official told ''[[Al-Monitor]]'' on 8 March, that the talks did not succeed and that discussions continued between the two movements. He also said that the foreign pressures on the Palestinian Authority to not implement the reconciliation terms is the main obstacle in the talks. In a 25 Feb statement to local newspaper ''Felesteen'', Hamas foreign relations chief [[Osama Hamdan]] accused the United States and Israel of blocking Palestinian reconciliation. The United States is putting pressure on the PA to not reconcile with Hamas until the latter recognizes the [[Quartet on the Middle East]]'s conditions, including the recognition of Israel, which Hamas rejects. After the 2014 agreement, US president [[Barack Obama]] said in April 2014 that President Mahmoud Abbas' decision to form a national unity government with Hamas was "unhelpful" and undermined the negotiations with Israel. Amin Maqboul, secretary-general of Fatah's Revolutionary Council, told ''Al-Monitor'', "Hamas did not stick to the 2014 agreement, as it has yet to hand over the reins of power over Gaza to the national consensus government and continues to control the crossings. Should Hamas continue down this path, we have to go to the polls immediately and let the people choose who they want to rule".<ref>{{cite news|last1=Abou Jalal|first1=Rasha|title=Why does Hamas, Fatah reconciliation keep failing? the foreign pressures on the Palestinian Authority to not implement the reconciliation terms.|url=http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2016/03/palestinian-hamas-fatah-reconciliation-doha.html|access-date=16 March 2016|work=[[Al-Monitor]]|date=8 March 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160313223726/http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2016/03/palestinian-hamas-fatah-reconciliation-doha.html#ixzz436pSQ5sy|archive-date=13 March 2016}}</ref>

===2013 name change===
The UN has permitted the PLO to title its representative office to the UN as "The Permanent Observer Mission of the State of Palestine to the United Nations",<ref name="un.int"/> and Palestine has started to re-title its name accordingly on postal stamps, official documents and passports,<ref name="aljazeera.com"/><ref>{{Cite news| last = Khoury | first =Jack| date=5 January 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130105094313/http://www.haaretz.com/news/middle-east/palestinian-authority-officially-changes-name-to-state-of-palestine.premium-1.492065 |archive-date=5 January 2013 |title=Palestinian Authority Officially Changes Name to 'State of Palestine'|work=Haaretz|url=https://www.haaretz.com/2013-01-05/ty-article/.premium/pa-changes-name-to-palestine/0000017f-dc52-d856-a37f-fdd2fded0000|access-date=20 February 2023}}</ref> whilst it has instructed its diplomats to officially represent 'The State of Palestine', as opposed to the 'Palestine National Authority'.<ref name="aljazeera.com"/> Additionally, on 17 December 2012, UN Chief of Protocol Yeocheol Yoon decided that "the designation of 'State of Palestine' shall be used by the Secretariat in all official United Nations documents".<ref name="Gharib"/> However, in a speech in 2016 president Abbas said that "The Palestinian Authority exists and it is here," and "The Palestinian Authority is one of our achievements and we won't give it up."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.jpost.com/Arab-Israeli-Conflict/Abbas-Palestinian-Authority-will-not-collapse-440641|title=Abbas: Palestinian Authority will not collapse|date=6 January 2016}}</ref>

===2024 mass resignation===
On the morning of 26 February 2024, the [[Shtayyeh Government|Shtayyeh cabinet]], led by [[Prime Minister of Palestine|Prime Minister]] [[Mohammad Shtayyeh]], resigned from office amid popular opposition to the Palestinian Authority and pressure from the [[United States]] during the [[Gaza war]].<ref name="AP">{{cite web |author1=Staff of the [[Associated Press]] |title=Palestinian prime minister submits government's resignation, a move that could open door to reforms |url=https://apnews.com/article/palestinians-abbas-israel-hamas-war-resignation-1c13eb3c2ded20cc14397e71b5b1dea5 |work=[[Associated Press News]] |access-date=26 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240226120840/https://apnews.com/article/palestinians-abbas-israel-hamas-war-resignation-1c13eb3c2ded20cc14397e71b5b1dea5 |archive-date=26 February 2024 |location=Jerusalem |format=[[News]] [[Article (publishing)|article]] |date=26 February 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="TWP">{{cite news |last1=Cho |first1=Kelly Kasulis |last2=Morris |first2=Loveday |last3=Sands |first3=Leo |last4=Balousha |first4=Hazem |last5=Chamaa |first5=Mohamad El |last6=Haidamous |first6=Suzan |last7=Masih |first7=Niha |last8=Alfaro |first8=Mariana |last9=Foster-Frau |first9=Silvia |title=Palestinian prime minister, cabinet offer to resign in step toward post-Gaza war overhaul |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/02/26/israel-hamas-war-news-gaza-palestine/ |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |access-date=26 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240226120311/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2024/02/26/israel-hamas-war-news-gaza-palestine/ |archive-date=26 February 2024 |format=[[News]] [[Article (publishing)|article]] |date=26 February 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Thompson |first=Nick |date=26 February 2024 |title=Mohammed Shtayyeh, Palestinian Authority prime minister, and government to resign |url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/26/middleeast/palestinian-authority-prime-minister-resigns-intl/index.html |access-date=26 February 2024 |publisher=CNN}}</ref><ref name="Reuters">{{cite web |last1=Sawafta |first1=Ali |last2=Mackenzie |first2=James |last3=Jones |first3=Gareth |last4=Fletcher |first4=Philippa |title=Palestinian Prime Minister Shtayyeh resigns |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/palestinian-prime-minister-shtayyeh-resigns-2024-02-26/ |work=[[Reuters]] |access-date=26 February 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240226122624/https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/palestinian-prime-minister-shtayyeh-resigns-2024-02-26/ |archive-date=26 February 2024 |location=[[Ramallah]], [[Palestine]] & [[Cairo]], [[Egypt]] |format=[[News]] [[Article (publishing)|article]] |date=26 February 2024 |url-status=live}}</ref> On 28 March, the new [[technocracy|technocratic]] [[Mustafa Government|Mustafa cabinet]] was formed,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Palestinian Authority announces a new Cabinet as it faces calls for reform |publisher=AP News |date=28 March 2024 |url=https://apnews.com/article/palestinians-politics-cabinet-israel-hamas-gaza-97415b76e8339a34111e85ae32dcc5f2 }}</ref> and 3 days later was officially sworn in.<ref>{{Cite web |title=New Palestinian government of Mohammed Mustafa is sworn in, faces daunting tasks |date=1 April 2024 |publisher=Arab Weekly |url=https://thearabweekly.com/new-palestinian-government-mohammed-mustafa-sworn-faces-daunting-tasks }}</ref>

==Geography==
{{main|Geography of Palestine}}
{{see also|West Bank areas in the Oslo II Accord|West Bank}}

The Palestinian territories refers to the Gaza Strip and the West Bank (including East Jerusalem). The Palestinian Authority currently administers some 39% of the West Bank. 61% of the West Bank remains under direct Israeli military and civilian control. East Jerusalem was unilaterally annexed by Israel in 1980, prior to the formation of the PA. Since 2007 Gaza has been governed by the [[Gaza Strip under Hamas|Hamas Government in Gaza]].

==Government and politics==
{{More citations needed section|date=March 2016}}
{{Politics of Palestine}}
{{main|Politics of the Palestinian National Authority}}
[[File:Mahmoud Abbas 2024.jpg|thumb|upright|[[Mahmoud Abbas]], President of the Palestinian Authority since 2005 (disputed since 2009)]]

The politics of the Palestinian Authority take place within the framework of a [[Unitary state|unitary]]<ref name="Unitary 1">{{cite web |title=Palestinian territories |url=https://www.uclg-localfinance.org/sites/default/files/PALESTINE-MEWA-V3.pdf |date=October 2016 |website=uclg-localfinance.org |quote=UNITARY COUNTRY }}</ref><ref name="Unitary 2">{{cite web |title=PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY |url=https://www.sng-wofi.org/country_profiles/palestinian_authority.html |quote=The Palestinian Authority is a unitary and semi-presidential territory in Western Asia. The Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) is the legislative body and parliament of Palestine. It is a unicameral legislative council {{sic|comprised |hide=y|of}} the president, elected to a four-year term by direct popular vote, and 132 members directly elected on a multi-member constituency basis. }}</ref> [[semi-presidential system|semi-presidential]] [[multi-party system|multi-party]] republic,<ref name="cavatorta">{{Cite journal |last1=Cavatorta |first1=Francesco |last2=Elgie |first2=Robert |date=16 September 2009 |title=The Impact of Semi-Presidentialism on Governance in the Palestinian Authority |url=https://academic.oup.com/pa/article/63/1/22/1435241 |journal=Parliamentary Affairs |volume=63 |issue=1 |pages=22–40 |doi=10.1093/pa/gsp028}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |last=Løvlie |first=Frode |date=26 March 2013 |title=Explaining Hamas's Changing Electoral Strategy, 1996–2006 |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/government-and-opposition/article/abs/explaining-hamass-changing-electoral-strategy-19962006/0FE783C313D78768A112C4E090D63A71 |journal=Government and Opposition |language=en |volume=48 |issue=4 |pages=570–593 |doi=10.1017/gov.2013.3 |issn=0017-257X|hdl=11250/2474841 |hdl-access=free |url-access=subscription }}</ref> with the [[Palestinian Legislative Council]] (PLC), an executive [[President of the Palestinian National Authority|president]], and a [[Prime Minister of the Palestinian National Authority|prime minister]] leading a Cabinet. According to the Palestinian Basic Law which was signed by Arafat in 2002 after a long delay, the current structure of the PA is based on three separate branches of power: executive, legislative, and judiciary.<ref name="Ref_o">{{Citation|title=Palestine in Brief |publisher=POGAR.org |url=http://www.pogar.org/countries/index.asp?cid=14 |access-date=19 February 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060216044037/http://pogar.org/countries/index.asp?cid=14 |archive-date=16 February 2006 }}</ref> The PA was created by, is ultimately accountable to, and has historically been associated with, the [[Palestine Liberation Organization]] (PLO), with whom Israel negotiated the [[Oslo Accords]].<ref name="icj_wall_palestine_written"/>

The PLC is an elected body of 132 representatives, which must confirm the Prime Minister upon nomination by the President, and which must approve all government cabinet positions proposed by the Prime Minister. The Judicial Branch has yet to be formalized. The President of the PA is directly elected by the people, and the holder of this position is also considered to be the commander-in-chief of the armed forces. In an amendment to the Basic Law approved in 2003, the president appoints the Prime Minister who is also chief of the security services in the Palestinian territories. The Prime Minister chooses a cabinet of ministers and runs the government, reporting directly to the President.{{citation needed|date=September 2015}}

Parliamentary elections were conducted in January 2006 after the passage of an overhauled election law that increased the number of seats from 88 to 132.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://fas.org/sgp/crs/mideast/RL33269.pdf |title=Palestinian Elections |date=9 February 2006 |author=Aaron D. Pina |access-date=4 April 2015 |archive-date=1 April 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200401182454/https://fas.org/sgp/crs/mideast/RL33269.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> The Chairman of the PLO, [[Yasser Arafat]], was elected as President of PA in a [[landslide victory]] at the [[1996 Palestinian general election|general election]] in 1996.

Arafat's administration was criticized for its lack of democracy, widespread corruption among officials, and the division of power among families and numerous governmental agencies with overlapping functions.<ref>{{cite web |author1=Balousha |first=Hazem |title=Report Highlights Corruption in Palestinian Institutions – Al-Monitor: the Pulse of the Middle East |url=http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2013/05/report-corruption-palestine-institutions-gaza.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20140814083620/http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2013/05/report-corruption-palestine-institutions-gaza.html |archive-date=14 August 2014 |access-date=14 August 2014 |website=Al-Monitor }}</ref> Both Israel and the US declared they lost trust in Arafat as a partner and refused to negotiate with him, regarding him as linked to terrorism.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4002497.stm | publisher=BBC News | title=Mid-East press reflects on Arafat legacy | date=11 November 2004}}</ref> Arafat denied this, and was visited by other leaders around the world up until his death. However, this began a push for change in the Palestinian leadership. In 2003, [[Mahmoud Abbas]] resigned because of lack of support from Israel, the US, and Arafat himself.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.cnn.com/2003/WORLD/meast/09/06/mideast/ | publisher=CNN| title=Breaking News | date=6 September 2003}}</ref> He won the presidency on 9 January 2005 with 62% of the vote. Former prime minister [[Ahmed Qureia]] formed his government on 24 February 2005 to wide international praise because, for the first time, most ministries were headed by experts in their field as opposed to political appointees.<ref name="Ref_2005a">{{Citation | title=New Palestinian Cabinet Sworn In | publisher=CBS News | url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/new-palestinian-cabinet-sworn-in/ | access-date=19 February 2006 | date=24 February 2005 | archive-date=12 September 2005 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050912200245/http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/02/24/world/main676172.shtml | url-status=live }}</ref>

The presidential mandate of Mahmoud Abbas expired in 2009 and he is no longer recognised by Hamas, among others, as the legitimate Palestinian president. According to Palestinian [[Palestine Papers|documents]] leaked to [[Al Jazeera Media Network|Al Jazeera]] in 2011, the United States has threatened to cut off funding to the Palestinian Authority should there be a change in the Palestinian leadership in the West Bank.<ref>{{cite news|author1=Seumas Milne |author2=Ian Black |name-list-style=amp |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/jan/24/us-threat-palestinians-leadership-funds |title=US threat to Palestinians: change leadership and we cut funds (The Guardian, 24 January 2011) |work=The Guardian |location=London |date=24 January 2011}}</ref>

On 27 April 2011, Fatah's [[Azzam al-Ahmad]] announced the party's signing of a memorandum of understanding with Hamas' leadership, a major step towards reconciliation effectively paving the way for a [[Coalition government|unity government]].<ref name="cnnunity">{{Cite news|title=Rival Fatah, Hamas movements reach unity deal|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/meast/04/27/gaza.hamas.fatah/index.html?hpt=T2|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110501020816/http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/meast/04/27/gaza.hamas.fatah/index.html?hpt=T2|url-status=dead|archive-date=1 May 2011|publisher=CNN|date=27 April 2011|access-date=28 April 2011}}</ref> The deal was formally announced in Cairo, and was co-ordinated under the mediation of Egypt's new intelligence director [[Murad Muwafi]].<ref name="ch6n">{{Cite news|author=BNO News |title=Fatah and Hamas agree to Palestinian unity government |url=http://channel6newsonline.com/2011/04/fatah-and-hamas-agree-to-palestinian-unity-government/ |newspaper=Channel 6 News |date=27 April 2011 |access-date=28 April 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110723130510/http://channel6newsonline.com/2011/04/fatah-and-hamas-agree-to-palestinian-unity-government/ |archive-date=23 July 2011 }}</ref> The deal came amidst an international campaign for [[Sovereign state|statehood]] advanced by the Abbas administration, which is expected to culminate in a request for admission into the [[United Nations General Assembly|General Assembly]] as a member state in September.<ref>{{Cite news|title=A step towards statehood|url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4061557,00.html|newspaper=Ynetnews|publisher=Yedioth Internet|date=27 April 2011|access-date=28 April 2011}}</ref> As part of the deal, the two factions agreed to hold [[2011 Palestinian general election|elections]] in both territories within twelve months of the creation of a transitional government.<ref name="ruvr"/> In response to the announcement, Israeli prime minister [[Benjamin Netanyahu|Netanyahu]] warned that the Authority must choose whether it wants "peace with Israel or peace with Hamas".<ref name="cnnunity"/><ref name="ch6n"/>

===Officials===
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:95%;"
|+ Main office holders
|-
! Office
! Name
! Party
! Since
|-
|rowspan=2 |[[President of the Palestinian Authority|President]]
|[[Mahmoud Abbas]]
|[[Fatah]]
|26 January 2005 – '''Incumbent'''
|-
|[[Yasser Arafat]]
|Fatah
|5 July 1994 – 11 November 2004
|-
| rowspan="10" |[[Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority|Prime Minister]]
|[[Mohammad Mustafa (politician)|Mohammad Mustafa]]
|[[Independent politician|Independent]]
|31 March 2024 – '''Incumbent'''<ref>{{Cite web |date=30 March 2024 |title=19th Palestine government led by Mohammad Mustafa: Majority technocrats |url=https://www.aa.com.tr/en/middle-east/19th-palestine-government-led-by-mohammad-mustafa-majority-technocrats/3178859 |access-date=18 September 2024 |website=[[Anadolu Agency]]}}</ref>
|-
|[[Mohammad Shtayyeh]]
|Fatah
|14 April 2019 – 31 March 2024<ref>{{Cite news|title=Hamas further sidelined by appointment of new PA premier Shtayyeh|url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/hamas-further-sidelined-by-appointment-of-new-pa-premier-shtayyeh/|work=[[The Times of Israel]]|access-date=10 March 2019|date=10 March 2019|author=Joe Dyke}}</ref>
|-
|[[Rami Hamdallah]]
|Fatah
|2 June 2014 – 14 April 2019
|-
|Rami Hamdallah
|Fatah
|6 June 2013 – 2 June 2014 (disputed)
|-
|[[Salam Fayyad]]
|Independent
|14 June 2007 – 6 June 2013
|-
|[[Ismail Haniyeh]]
|[[Hamas]]
|19 February 2006 – 14 June 2007
|-
|[[Ahmed Qurei]]
|Fatah
|24 December 2005 – 19 February 2006
|-
|[[Nabil Shaath]]
|Fatah
|15 December 2005 – 24 December 2005
|-
|Ahmed Qurei
|Fatah
|7 October 2003 – 15 December 2005
|-
|Mahmoud Abbas
|Fatah
|19 March 2003 – 7 October 2003
|}

===Political parties and elections===
{{elect|List of political parties in Palestine|Elections in Palestine}}
From the establishment of the Palestinian Authority in 1993 until the death of [[Yasser Arafat]] in late 2004, only one election had taken place. All other elections were deferred for various reasons.

A single [[1996 Palestinian legislative and presidential election|election]] for president and the legislature took place in 1996. The next presidential and legislative elections were scheduled for 2001 but were delayed following the outbreak of the [[Al-Aqsa Intifada]]. Following Arafat's death, [[2005 Palestinian presidential election|elections for the President]] of the Authority were announced for 9 January 2005. The PLO leader [[Mahmoud Abbas]] won 62.3% of the vote, while Dr. [[Mustafa Barghouti]], a physician and independent candidate, won 19.8%.<ref name="Ref_p">{{Citation | title=PLO Chairman Abbas officially Wins Palestinian Presidential elections | publisher=PNA.gov.ps | url=http://www.pna.gov.ps/subject_details2.asp?DocId=1697 | access-date=19 February 2006 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20051217154505/http://www.pna.gov.ps/subject_details2.asp?DocId=1697 |archive-date = 17 December 2005}}</ref>
{{Main|2005 Palestinian presidential election}}
{{#section-h:2005 Palestinian presidential election|Results}}

On 10 May 2004, the Palestinian Cabinet announced that municipal elections would take place for the first time. Elections were announced for August 2004 in [[Jericho]], followed by certain municipalities in the [[Gaza Strip]]. In July 2004 these elections were postponed. Issues with voter registration are said to have contributed to the delay. Municipal elections finally took place for council officials in [[Jericho]] and 25 other towns and villages in the [[West Bank]] on 23 December 2004. On 27 January 2005, the first round of the [[2005 Palestinian municipal election|municipal elections]] took place in the [[Gaza Strip]] for officials in 10 local councils. Further rounds in the West Bank took place in May 2005.

Elections for a new [[Palestinian Legislative Council]] (PLC) were scheduled for July 2005 by Acting Palestinian Authority President [[Rawhi Fattuh]] in January 2005. These elections were postponed by [[Mahmoud Abbas]] after major changes to the Election Law were enacted by the PLC which required more time for the [[Palestinian Central Elections Committee]] to process and prepare. Among these changes were the expansion of the number of parliament seats from 88 to 132, with half of the seats to be competed for in 16 localities, and the other half to be elected in proportion to party votes from a nationwide pool of candidates.

{{main|2006 Palestinian legislative election}}
{{#section-h:2006 Palestinian legislative election|Results}}

The following organizations, listed in alphabetic order, have taken part in recent popular elections inside the Palestinian Authority:
* [[Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine]] (''Al-Jabhah al-Dimuqratiyah Li-Tahrir Filastin'')
* [[Fatah]] or [[Liberation Movement of Palestine]] (''Harakat al-Tahrâr al-Filistini'')
* [[Hamas]] or [[Islamic Resistance Movement]] (''Harakat al-Muqawamah al-Islamiyah'')
* [[Palestine Democratic Union]] (''al-Ittihad al-Dimuqrati al-Filastini'', FiDA)
* [[Palestinian National Initiative]] (''al-Mubadara al-Wataniya al-Filistiniyya'')
* [[Palestinian People's Party]] (''Hizb al-Sha'b al-Filastini'')
* [[Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine]] (''Al-Jabhah al-sha'abiyah Li-Tahrir Filastin'')

October 2006 polls showed that [[Fatah]] and [[Hamas]] had equal strength.<ref name="Ref_q">{{Cite web|title=Israel National News – Arutz Sheva|url=https://www.israelnationalnews.com/|access-date=20 February 2023|publisher=Arutz Sheva}}</ref>

On 14 June 2007, after the [[Battle of Gaza (2007)]], Palestine president [[Mahmoud Abbas]] dismissed the Hamas-led government, leaving the government under his control for 30 days, after which the temporary government had to be approved by the Palestinian Legislative Council.<ref name="edition2007">{{cite news|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/06/14/gaza/index.html |publisher=CNN|title=Gaza |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080725120721/http://edition.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/meast/06/14/gaza/index.html |archive-date=25 July 2008 }}</ref>

===Administrative divisions===
{{main|Governorates of Palestine}}
{{see also|Municipality (Palestinian Authority)|List of cities administered by the Palestinian Authority|West Bank areas in the Oslo II Accord}}

The governorates ({{langx|ar|محافظات}} ''muhafazat'') of the Palestinian Authority were founded in 1995 to replace the 8 Israeli military districts of the [[Israeli Civil Administration|Civil Administration]]: 11 governorates in the West Bank and 5 in the Gaza Strip. The governorates are not regulated in any official law of decree by the Palestinian Authority<ref name=AFD>{{cite web|quote=The governorates (or muhafazat) make up the regional level. They are under the direct supervision of the Ministry of the Interior and are led by directors nominated by the President of the Palestinian Authority. They are characterized by true legal ambiguity insomuch as no text of law or decree from the Palestinian Authority regulates their activities. In practice, however, the regional governors (muhafiz) are in charge of the Palestinian police force within their administrative jurisdictions. They are also responsible for coordinating some state services (health, education, transportation, etc.) at the regional level. Management of the conflicting interests or priorities of various deconcentrated services is handled by the Prime Minister's office...These administrative divisions serve as electoral constituencies.|last1=Singoles|first1=Aude|title=Local Government in Palestine|url=http://www.afd.fr/jahia/webdav/site/afd/shared/PUBLICATIONS/RECHERCHE/Scientifiques/Focales/02-VA-Focales.pdf|publisher=[[French Development Agency]]|access-date=12 September 2016|archive-date=5 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170205213110/http://www.afd.fr/jahia/webdav/site/afd/shared/PUBLICATIONS/RECHERCHE/Scientifiques/Focales/02-VA-Focales.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref> but they are regulated by Presidential decrees, mainly Presidential Decree No. 22 of 2003, regarding the powers of the governors.<ref>{{cite web|title=Update of Diagnostic Report for the Local Governance System in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt) PART 1 Update on Major Interventions in the Local Governance Sector since 2004|url=http://www.undp.ps/en/newsroom/publications/pdf/other/lgsp.pdf|publisher=United Nations Development Programme/Programme of Assistance to the Palestinian People (UNDP/PAPP), Local Governance Support Programme (LGSP) in the Occupied Palestinian territory (oPt.)|access-date=13 September 2016|page=21|date=June 2009|quote=Governorates are mainly regulated by Presidential decrees, mainly the PD No., (22) of 2003 regarding the competences of governors.|archive-date=12 October 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171012085411/http://www.undp.ps/en/newsroom/publications/pdf/other/lgsp.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The regional governors ({{langx|ar|محافظ}} ''muhafiz'') are appointed by the President. They are in charge of the Palestinian police force in their jurisdiction as well as coordinating state services such as education, health and transportation. The governorates are under the direct supervision of the [[Interior Minister of the Palestinian National Authority|Interior Ministry]].<ref name=AFD/>

The governorates in the West Bank are grouped into [[Palestinian enclaves|three areas per the Oslo II Accord]]. Area A forms 18% of the West Bank by area, and is administered by the Palestinian Authority.<ref name="Zahriyeh2014">{{cite news|last=Zahriyeh|first=Ehab|title=Maps: The occupation of the West Bank|url=http://america.aljazeera.com/multimedia/2014/7/west-bank-security.html|date=4 July 2014|publisher=[[Al Jazeera Media Network|Al Jazeera]]|access-date=8 August 2014|archive-date=16 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140716232147/http://america.aljazeera.com/multimedia/2014/7/west-bank-security.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Gvirtzman">{{cite web |last= Gvirtzman |first= Haim |url=http://www.biu.ac.il/SOC/besa/books/maps.htm |title=Maps of Israeli Interests in Judea and Samaria|publisher=[[Bar-Ilan University]]|access-date=8 August 2014|url-status=live|archive-date=11 January 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140111015009/http://www.biu.ac.il/SOC/besa/books/maps.htm}}</ref> Area B forms 22% of the West Bank, and is under Palestinian civil control, and joint Israeli-Palestinian security control.<ref name="Zahriyeh2014"/><ref name="Gvirtzman"/> [[Area C (West Bank)|Area C]], except [[East Jerusalem]], forms 60% of the West Bank, and is administered by the [[Israeli Civil Administration]], except that the Palestinian Authority provides the education and medical services to the 150,000 Palestinians in the area.<ref name="Zahriyeh2014"/> 70.3% of Area C (40.5% of the West Bank) is off limit to Palestinian construction and development. These areas include areas under jurisdiction of Israeli settlements, closed military zones, nature reserves and national parks and areas designated by Israel as "state land".<ref>{{cite web|title=Taking control of land and designating areas off-limits to Palestinian use|url=http://www.btselem.org/area_c/taking_over_land|publisher=[[B'tselem]]|access-date=11 September 2016|date=30 October 2013}}</ref> There are about 330,000 Israelis living in [[Israeli settlement|settlements]] in Area C,<ref name="CBS2010">{{cite news|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/news/group-israel-controls-42-of-west-bank/|title=Group: Israel Controls 42% of West Bank|publisher=[[CBS News]]|agency=[[Associated Press]]|access-date=8 August 2014|archive-date=8 August 2014|date=6 July 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140808220117/http://www.cbsnews.com/news/group-israel-controls-42-of-west-bank/|url-status=live}}</ref> in the [[Israeli-occupied West Bank]]. Although Area C is under [[martial law]], Israelis living there are judged in Israeli civil courts.<ref name="CERD1416">{{cite report|url=http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cerd/docs/CERD.C.ISR.CO.14-16.pdf|title=Consideration of reports submitted by States parties under article 9 of the Convention|date=9 March 2012|page=6|publisher=UN [[Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination]]|access-date=8 August 2014|url-status=live|archive-date=18 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140718223839/http://www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cerd/docs/CERD.C.ISR.CO.14-16.pdf}}</ref>
{{legend|lightyellow|Cities in the West Bank}}
{{legend|#D2FFD2|Cities in the Gaza Strip}}

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Name !! Area<ref>{{cite web|title=Palestine |url=http://www.geohive.com/cntry/palestine.aspx |website=GeoHive |publisher=Johan van der Heyden |access-date=3 October 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714162009/http://www.geohive.com/cntry/palestine.aspx |archive-date=14 July 2014 }}</ref> !! Population !! Density !! ''[[Muhafazah|muhfaza]]'' or district capital
|-bgcolor="lightyellow"
| '''[[Jenin Governorate|Jenin]]''' || 583 || 311,231 || 533.84 || [[Jenin]]
|-bgcolor="lightyellow"
| '''[[Tubas Governorate|Tubas]]''' || 402 || 64,719 || 160.99 || [[Tubas (city)|Tubas]]
|-bgcolor="lightyellow"
| '''[[Tulkarm Governorate|Tulkarm]]''' || 246 || 182,053 || 740.05 || [[Tulkarm]]
|-bgcolor="lightyellow"
| '''[[Nablus Governorate|Nablus]]''' || 605 || 380,961 || 629.68 || [[Nablus]] 
|-bgcolor="lightyellow"
| '''[[Qalqilya Governorate|Qalqiliya]]''' || 166 || 110,800 || 667.46 || [[Qalqilya]]
|-bgcolor="lightyellow"
| '''[[Salfit Governorate|Salfit]]''' || 204 || 70,727 || 346.7 || [[Salfit]]
|-bgcolor="lightyellow"
| '''[[Ramallah Governorate|Ramallah & Al-Bireh]]''' || 855 || 348,110 || 407.14 || [[Ramallah]]
|-bgcolor="lightyellow"
| '''[[Jericho Governorate|Jericho & Al Aghwar]]''' || 593 || 52,154 || 87.94 || [[Jericho]]
|-bgcolor="lightyellow"
| '''[[Jerusalem Governorate|Jerusalem]]''' || 345 || 419,108<sup>a</sup> || 1214.8<sup>a</sup> || [[Jerusalem]] ([[Positions on Jerusalem|''De Jure'' and disputed]])
|-bgcolor="lightyellow"
| '''[[Bethlehem Governorate|Bethlehem]]''' || 659 || 216,114 || 927.94 || [[Bethlehem]]
|-bgcolor="lightyellow"
| '''[[Hebron Governorate|Hebron]]''' || 997 || 706,508 || 708.63 || [[Hebron]]
|-bgcolor="#D2FFD2"
| '''[[North Gaza Governorate|North Gaza]]''' || 61 || 362,772 || 5947.08 || [[Jabalya]]
|-bgcolor="#D2FFD2"
| '''[[Gaza Governorate|Gaza]]''' || 74 || 625,824 || 8457.08 || [[Gaza City]]
|-bgcolor="#D2FFD2"
| '''[[Deir al-Balah Governorate|Deir Al-Balah]]''' || 58 || 264,455 || 4559.56 || [[Deir al-Balah]]
|-bgcolor="#D2FFD2"
| '''[[Khan Yunis Governorate|Khan Yunis]]''' || 108 || 341,393 || 3161.04 || [[Khan Yunis]]
|-bgcolor="#D2FFD2"
| '''[[Rafah Governorate|Rafah]]''' || 64 || 225,538 || 3524.03 || [[Rafah]]
|}

a. Data from Jerusalem includes occupied [[East Jerusalem]] with its Israeli population

East Jerusalem is administered as part of the [[Jerusalem District]] of Israel, but is claimed by Palestine as part of the [[Jerusalem Governorate]]. It was annexed by Israel in 1980,<ref name="Zahriyeh2014"/> but this annexation is not recognised by any other country.<ref>{{cite book |first=Tobias|last=Kelly |title=Rules of Law and Laws of Ruling: On the Governance of Law- Laws of Suspicion:Legal Status, Space and the Impossibility of Separation in the Israeli-occupied West Bank |editor1-first=Franz|editor1-last=Von Benda-Beckmann |editor2-first=Keebet|editor2-last=Von Benda-Beckmann |editor3-first=Julia M.|editor3-last=Eckert |publisher=[[Ashgate Publishing]] |date=May 2009 |page=91 |isbn=978-0-7546-7239-5}}</ref> Of the 456,000 people in East Jerusalem, roughly 60% are Palestinians and 40% are Israelis.<ref name="Zahriyeh2014"/><ref name="ChoshenEtKorach2010">{{cite report|url=http://jiis.org/.upload/facts-2010-eng%20%281%29.pdf|title=Jerusalem, Facts and Trends 2009/2010|page=11|publisher=[[Jerusalem Institute for Israel Studies]]|access-date=8 August 2014|archive-date=2 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140702001634/http://jiis.org/.upload/facts-2010-eng%20%281%29.pdf|url-status=dead|year=2010}}</ref>

===Foreign relations===
{{main|Foreign relations of the Palestinian National Authority}}
{{see also|List of diplomatic missions of Palestine|List of diplomatic missions in Palestine}}

The Palestinian National Authority (PNA) foreign relations are conducted by the [[Foreign Affairs Minister of the Palestinian National Authority|minister of foreign affairs]]. The PNA is represented abroad by the [[Palestine Liberation Organization]] (PLO), which maintains a network of missions and embassies.<ref>{{cite web|author=Stiftung, Konrad Adenauer|title=Palestine Liberation Organization (structure)|url=http://www.kas.de/wf/doc/kas_2041-1442-1-30.pdf?101018163243|publisher=Auslandsbüro Palästinensische Autonomiegebiete|date=August 2010|access-date=29 January 2011}}</ref> In states that recognise the State of Palestine it maintains [[Embassy|embassies]] and in other states it maintains "delegations" or "missions".<ref name=un>[http://www.un.int/wcm/content/site/palestine/pid/11548 Palestine Embassies, Missions, Delegations] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120905005549/https://www.un.int/wcm/content/site/palestine/pid/11548 |date=5 September 2012 }}, Permanent Observer Mission of Palestine to the United Nations. Retrieved 11 June 2010.</ref>

Representations of foreign states to the Palestinian Authority are performed by "missions" or "offices" in [[Ramallah]] and [[Gaza city|Gaza]]. States that recognise the [[Palestine|State of Palestine]] also accredit to the PLO (as the [[government-in-exile]] of the State of Palestine) non-resident ambassadors residing in third countries.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.foreignaffairs.gov.mw/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=56 |title=Malawi Missions Abroad – Overview |publisher=Foreignaffairs.gov.mw |date=19 April 2010 |access-date=5 January 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130206075304/https://www.foreignaffairs.gov.mw/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=56 |archive-date=6 February 2013 }}</ref>

On 5 January 2013, [[United Nations General Assembly resolution 67/19|following the 2012 UNGA resolution]], Palestinian president Abbas ordered all Palestinian embassies to change any official reference to the Palestinian Authority into State of Palestine.<ref>[http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=553741 "Abbas instructs embassies to refer to State of Palestine" Ma'an News Agency, 6 January 2013] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130417193545/http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=553741 |date=17 April 2013 }}: "No amendment should be made to references to the PLO, which remains Palestinians' legal representative on the world stage, the presidential order said."</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.wafa.ps/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130110022853/http://www.wafa.ps/arabic/index.php?action=detail&id=145913|url-status=dead|title=Wafa|archive-date=10 January 2013|website=wafa.ps}}</ref>

The Palestinian Authority is included in the European Union's [[European Neighbourhood Policy]] (ENP), which aims at bringing the EU and its neighbours closer.

====Palestinian Authority passport====
{{main|Palestinian Authority passport}}
In April 1995, the Palestinian Authority, pursuant to the Oslo Accords with the State of Israel, started to issue passports to Palestinian residents of the Gaza Strip and West Bank. The appearance of the passport and details about its issuance are described in Appendix C of Annex II (Protocol Concerning Civil Affairs) of the Gaza-Jericho Agreement signed by Israel and the PLO on 4 May 1994. The Palestinian Authority does not issue the passports on behalf of the proclaimed State of Palestine.<ref name=Kapitanp231>{{Cite book|editor-last=Kapitan|editor-first=Tomis|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=kvExBpKOVFMC&pg=PA231| first = Jerome M. | last = Segal| chapter= The State of Palestine: The Question of Existence| pages =221–243|title=Philosophical Perspectives on the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict|date=1997|publisher=M.E. Sharpe|isbn=978-0-7656-3944-8}}</ref>{{rp|231}} The passports bear the inscription: "''This passport/travel document is issued pursuant to the Palestinian Self Government Agreement according to Oslo Agreement signed in Washington on 13/9/1993''".<ref>"United States Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services, Palestine/Occupied Territories: Information On Passports Issued By The Palestine National Authority, 17 December 1998, PAL99001.ZCH, available at: [http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/docid/3df0b9914.html] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110811031142/http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/docid/3df0b9914.html|date=11 August 2011}}" . Retrieved 24 August 2010.</ref> By September 1995, the passport had been recognised by 29 states, some of them (e.g. the United States) recognise it only as a travel document (see further details below): Algeria, Bahrain, Bulgaria, People's Republic of China, Cyprus, Egypt, France, Germany, Greece, India, Iran, Jordan, Malta, Morocco, the Netherlands, Pakistan, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States.<ref name=Eurp933>Eur, 2004, p. 933.</ref>

While the U.S. Government recognises Palestinian Authority passports as travel documents, it does not view them as conferring citizenship, since they are not issued by a government that they recognise. Consular officials representing the Governments of Egypt, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates, when asked by the Resource Information Center of [[UNHCR]] in May 2002, would not comment on whether their governments viewed PA passports as conferring any proof of citizenship or residency, but did say that the passports, along with valid visas or other necessary papers, would allow their holders to travel to their countries.<ref name=UNHCR>{{cite web|url=http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/pdfid/402d150c4.pdf|title=Palestinian Territory, Occupied|date=20 May 2002|author=INS Resource Information Center|publisher=United Nations High Commission for Refugees|access-date=24 January 2009}}</ref>

The Palestinian Authority has said that anyone with a birth certificate showing they were born in Palestine can apply for a PA passport. Whether or not Palestinians born outside Palestine could apply was not clear to the PA Representative questioned by UNHCR representatives in May 2002. The PA representative also said even if those applying met the PA's eligibility criteria, the Israeli government placed additional restrictions on the actual issuance of passports.<ref name=UNHCR/>

In October 2007, a Japanese Justice Ministry official said, "Given that the Palestinian Authority has improved itself to almost a full-fledged state and issues its own passports, we have decided to accept the Palestinian nationality." The decision followed a recommendation by a ruling party panel on nationality that Palestinians should no longer be treated as stateless.<ref>{{Cite press release 
| agency= Kuwait News Agency 
| date = 5 October 2007
|title=Japan to recognize Palestinian nationality
|url=https://www.kuna.net.kw/ArticleDetails.aspx?id=1846153&language=en|access-date=20 February 2023}}{{pb}}{{ cite news
| via=Japan News Review
| newspaper= Yomiuri Shimbun
| title=Government to recognize Palestinian 'nationality'
| date = 6 October 2007 |url=http://www.japannewsreview.com/society/national/20071006page_id=2302 
 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718101636/http://www.japannewsreview.com/society/national/20071006page_id%3D2302 |archive-date=18 July 2011}}
</ref>

====Legal action against the Palestinian Authority====
In February 2015 in [[Sokolow et al v. Palestine Liberation Organization et al|a civil case considered by a US federal court]] the Palestinian Authority and [[Palestine Liberation Organization]] were found liable for the death and injuries of US citizens in a number of terrorist attacks in Israel from 2001 to 2004. However, on 31 August 2016, the Second US Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan dismissed the case on the grounds that US federal courts lacked overseas jurisdiction on civil cases.<ref name="Reuters 31 August 2016">{{cite news|last1=Stemple|first1=Jonathan|title=US court voids $655 million verdict against PLO over Israel attacks|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-israel-palestinians-decision-idUSKCN1161UU?il=0|access-date=8 September 2016|work=Reuters|date=31 August 2016}}</ref><ref name="Sullcrom">{{cite web|title=Sokolow v. Palestinian Liberation Organization|url=https://www.sullcrom.com/siteFiles/Publications/SC_Publication_Sokolow_v_Palestine_Liberation_Organization.pdf|website=Lexology|publisher=Sullivan & Cromwell LLP|access-date=8 September 2016|archive-date=14 September 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160914154700/https://www.sullcrom.com/siteFiles/Publications/SC_Publication_Sokolow_v_Palestine_Liberation_Organization.pdf|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=NYT2016>{{Cite news|last=Weiser|first=Benjamin|date=31 August 2016| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160905004004/http://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/01/nyregion/appeals-court-terror-verdict-plo-palestinian-authority.html?_r=0 |archive-date=5 September 2016|title=Court Throws Out $655.5 Million Terrorism Verdict Against Palestinian Groups|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/09/01/nyregion/appeals-court-terror-verdict-plo-palestinian-authority.html|access-date=20 February 2023|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> In June 2025, the Supreme Court of the United States unanimously overturned the ruling of the lower court, thus reviving the associated lawsuits. [[Chief justice|Chief Justice]] [[John Roberts]], writing for the court, said that their decision comported with the Promoting Security and Justice for Victims of Terrorism Act passed by the [[United States Congress]] in 2019.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Top court revives lawsuits against Palestinian authorities from US victims |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/6/20/top-court-revives-lawsuits-against-palestinian-authorities-from-us-victims |access-date=16 July 2025 |website=Al Jazeera |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=POLITICO Pro: Supreme Court revives lawsuits seeking to hold Palestine Liberation Organization liable for terrorist attacks |url=https://www.politico.com/news/2025/06/20/supreme-court-terrorism-lawsuits-plo-00415482 |access-date=16 July 2025 |website=www.politico.com |date=20 June 2025 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=20 June 2025 |title=Supreme Court revives lawsuits by US victims of terrorism attacks against Palestinian authorities |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/supreme-court-revives-lawsuits-by-us-victims-of-terrorism-attacks-against-palestinian-authorities |access-date=16 July 2025 |website=PBS News |language=en-us}}</ref>

In 2024, the [[Jerusalem District Court]] ruled that the Palestinian Authority must pay [[Israeli new shekel|NIS]] 46 million to heirs of the victims of the 2001 [[Sbarro restaurant suicide bombing]] for "punitive damages, compensation, funeral costs, and legal expenses."<ref>{{cite news |last=Sharon |first=Jeremy |title=Court puts PA on the hook for huge sums in compensation, damages for terror attacks |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/court-puts-pa-on-the-hook-for-huge-sums-in-compensation-damages-for-terror-attacks/ |access-date=16 July 2025 |website=[[The Times of Israel]] |language=en-US |issn=0040-7909}}</ref>

Lawyers representing family members of victims of the [[October 7 attacks]], numbering 208 plaintiffs, filed suit in the Jerusalem District Court in July 2025 against the Palestinian Authority for more than NIS 1 billion in damages. The lawyers noted that the damages could be drawn from NIS 3 billion frozen by the Israeli government following the attacks.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Dubrovitsky |first=Lital |date=13 July 2025 |title=Families of Oct 7 victims sue Palestinian Authority for over $270 million |url=https://www.ynetnews.com/article/h1fxldbige |access-date=16 July 2025 |work=Ynetnews |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=A One-Billion-Shekel Lawsuit Accuses the Palestinian Authority of Funding and Supporting the October 7 Attacks |url=https://yaffaps.com/en/page-33080.html |access-date=16 July 2025 |website=Yaffa News Network|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Baruch |first=Uzi |title=Major lawsuit against Palestinian Authority: 1 billion shekels in compensation sought |url=https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/411608 |access-date=16 July 2025 |website=Israel National News |language=en}}</ref>

===Law===
{{main|Palestinian law}}

====Human rights====
{{main|Human rights in Palestine}}
In theory the Palestinian Authority has guaranteed [[freedom of assembly]] to the Palestinian citizens residing in its territory. Nevertheless, the right to demonstrate for opponents of the PA regime or of PA policy has become increasingly subject to police control and restriction and is a source of concern for human rights groups.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/dd/report8/report8j.htm#israel |title=Israel |access-date=30 July 2006 |year=1998 |work=Politics in Public: Freedom of Assembly and the Right to Protest |publisher=Democratic Dialogue |archive-date=1 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180601200155/http://cain.ulst.ac.uk/dd/report8/report8j.htm#israel |url-status=dead }}</ref> In August 2019, the Palestinian Authority banned LGBTQ organizations from operating in the West Bank, targeting the group [[Al Qaws]].<ref name="JPost">{{cite news|url=https://www.jpost.com/Middle-East/PA-bans-LGBT-activities-in-West-Bank-598980|newspaper=[[The Jerusalem Post]]|date=19 August 2019|access-date=20 August 2019|title=Palestinian Authority bans LGBTQ activities in West Bank}}</ref>

The [[Fatah–Hamas conflict]] has further limited the freedom of the press in the PA territories and the distribution of opposing voices in Hamas-controlled Gaza and the West Bank where Fatah still has more influence. According to the Ramallah-based [[Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms]], in 2011, there were more assaults on Palestinian press freedom from the PA than from Israel.<ref>{{cite news |last=Eglash |first=Ruth |title=More assaults on media by Palestinians than Israel |url=https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/more-assaults-on-media-by-palestinians-than-israel |work=The Jerusalem Post}}</ref> In July 2010, with the easing of the [[2007–present blockade of the Gaza Strip|blockade of the Gaza Strip]], Israel allowed the distribution of the pro-Fatah newspapers [[Al-Quds (newspaper)|al-Quds]], [[Al-Ayyam (Ramallah)|al-Ayyam]] and [[al-Hayat al-Jadida]] to Gaza, but Hamas prevented Gazan distributors from retrieving the shipment. The [[Palestinian Centre for Human Rights]] (PCHR) condemned the Hamas restrictions of distribution of the West Bank newspapers in Gaza, and also condemned the Fatah-led government in the West Bank for restricting publication and distribution of the Gazan newspapers {{ill|al-Resala|ar|الرسالة (صحيفة)}} and [[Falastin]].<ref>{{cite web| title=Latest Repercussions of Fragmentation: Prevention of Publication and Distribution of Palestinian Newspapers in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip| url=http://www.pchrgaza.org/portal/en/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6820:latest-repercussions-of-fragmentation-prevention-of-publication-and-distribution-of-palestinian-newspapers-in-the-west-bank-and-the-gaza-strip-&catid=36:pchrpressreleases&Itemid=194| access-date=12 July 2010| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100903030319/http://www.pchrgaza.org/portal/en/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6820:latest-repercussions-of-fragmentation-prevention-of-publication-and-distribution-of-palestinian-newspapers-in-the-west-bank-and-the-gaza-strip-&catid=36:pchrpressreleases&Itemid=194| archive-date=3 September 2010| url-status=dead}}</ref>

Women have full suffrage in the PA. In the 2006 elections, women made up 47 percent of registered voters. Prior to the elections, the election law was amended to introduce a quota for women on the national party lists, resulting in 22 percent of candidates on the national lists being women. The quota's effectiveness was illustrated in comparison with the district elections, where there was no quota, and only 15 of the 414 candidates were women.<ref>[http://domino.un.org/UNISPAL.NSF/db942872b9eae454852560f6005a76fb/236f02cf539aa9418525710600587785!OpenDocument "Statement of Preliminary Conclusions and Findings: Open and well-run parliamentary elections strengthen Palestinian commitment to democratic institutions"]; European Union Election Observation Commission, West Bank and Gaza 2006, 26 January 2006 {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090123032020/http://domino.un.org/UNISPAL.NSF/db942872b9eae454852560f6005a76fb/236f02cf539aa9418525710600587785!OpenDocument |date=23 January 2009 }}</ref>

Selling land or housing to Israeli Jews is punishable by death, and some high-profile cases have received high media coverage.<ref>{{cite news |title=Palestinians Face Death For Selling Land to Jews (6 May 1997) |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1997/05/06/world/palestinians-face-death-for-selling-land-to-jews.html |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=6 May 1997 |access-date=8 December 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Abu Toameh |first1=Khaled |title=PA: Death penalty for those who sell land to Jews (1 April 2009) |newspaper=The Jerusalem Post |url=https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/pa-death-penalty-for-those-who-sell-land-to-jews |access-date=8 December 2022}}</ref> Although president [[Mahmoud Abbas]] has never ratified a death sentence in such cases, as late as December 2018 a [[Ramallah]] court sentenced the [[Palestinian Americans|Palestinian-American]] Isaam Akel, a resident of [[East Jerusalem]], to life in prison with hard labor for having sold land in the [[Old City of Jerusalem]] to Israeli Jews. His family maintained his innocence.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Rasgon |first1=Adam |title=Family surprised by life sentence for Palestinian-American over land sale |url=https://www.timesofisrael.com/family-surprised-by-life-sentence-for-palestinian-american-over-land-sale/ |work=[[The Times of Israel]] |date=31 December 2018 |access-date=8 December 2022}}</ref> The Palestinian governor of [[East Jerusalem]], Adnan Gheith, was arrested twice by Israeli authorities in connection with the case.<ref>{{cite web |title=Palestinian sentenced to life for selling land to Israelis|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/12/31/palestinian-sentenced-to-life-for-selling-land-to-israelis |publisher=[[Al Jazeera Media Network|Al Jazeera]] |access-date=8 December 2022}}</ref>

Hamas has begun enforcing some Islamic standards of dress for women in the PA; women must don headscarves in order to enter government ministry buildings.<ref name="autogenerated2">{{Cite web |title=Palestinans pull folk tales from schools |url=https://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070305/ap_on_re_mi_ea/palestinians_book_ban_1 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070311213701/http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070305/ap_on_re_mi_ea/palestinians_book_ban_1 |archive-date=11 March 2007}}</ref> In July 2010, Hamas banned the smoking of [[hookah]] by women in public. They claimed that it was to reduce the increasing number of divorces.<ref>{{cite news|work=The Daily Telegraph|date= 18 July 2010 |url= https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/7897218/Women-banned-from-smoking-hookah-pipes-in-Gaza.html |title= Women banned from smoking hookah pipes in Gaza |access-date=18 July 2010 | location=London | first=Adrian | last=Blomfield}}</ref>

In June 2011, the Independent Commission for Human Rights published a report whose findings included that the Palestinians in the [[West Bank]] and the [[Gaza Strip]] were subjected in 2010 to an "almost systematic campaign" of human rights abuses by the Palestinian Authority and [[Hamas]], as well as by Israeli authorities, with the security forces belonging to the PA and Hamas being responsible for torture, arrests and arbitrary detentions.<ref>{{cite news|last=Abu |first=Khaled |url=https://www.jpost.com/MiddleEast/Article.aspx?id=224143 |title=PA bans journalists from reporting human rights abuses |work=The Jerusalem Post}}</ref>

===Police forces===
{{main|Palestinian Security Services}}
The creation of a Palestinian police force was called for under the Oslo Accords.<ref name=Eurp521/> The first [[Palestinian Security Forces|Palestinian police force]] of 9,000 was deployed in [[Jericho]] in 1994, and later in [[Gaza City|Gaza]].<ref name=Eurp521/> These forces initially struggled to control security in the areas in which it had partial controlled and because of this Israel delayed expansion of the area to be administered by the PA.<ref name=Eurp521/> By 1996, the PA security forces were estimated to include anywhere from 40,000 to 80,000 recruits.<ref name="Ref_d">David Hirst, "The New Oppressor of the Palestinians", Guardian (London), 6 July 1996, reprinted in World Press Review, October 1996, p. 11. Hirst suggests that there are 40,000–50,000 security officers. For Israeli press reports about there being 40,000 officers, see Steve Rodan, "Gov't: PA Has 16,000 More Policemen than Permitted by Oslo," Jerusalem Post (international edition), 2 May 1998, p. 3. According to [[The Jerusalem Post]], Israeli defense sources said in September 1996 that the number of armed men in the PA had risen to 80,000. See Steve Rodan, "Palestinians Have 80,000 Armed Fighters", ''The Jerusalem Post'', 27 September 1996, p. 5.</ref> PA security forces employ some armored cars, and a limited number carry automatic weapons.<ref name="Ref_e">{{Citation | title=The Israeli-Palestinian Interim Agreement on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip | publisher= JewishVirtualLibrary.org | url=https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Peace/iaannex1.html|access-date=19 February 2006}}</ref> Some Palestinians opposed to or critical of the peace process perceive the Palestinian security forces to be little more than a proxy of the State of Israel.<ref name=Eurp521/>

===Crime and law enforcement===

====Violence against civilians====
The [[Palestinian Human Rights Monitoring Group]] reports that through "''everyday disagreements and clashes between the various political factions, families and cities that a complete picture of Palestinian society is painted. These divisions have during the course of the al Aqsa Intifada also led to an increasingly violent 'Intrafada'. In the 10-year period from 1993 to 2003, 16% of Palestinian civilian deaths were caused by Palestinian groups or individuals''."<ref name="Ref_r">{{Citation |title=The 'Intra'fada |publisher=PHRMG.org |url=http://www.phrmg.org/intrafada.htm |access-date=19 February 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040606055755/http://www.phrmg.org/intrafada.htm |archive-date=6 June 2004 }}</ref>

Erika Waak reports in ''[[The Humanist]]'' "''Of the total number of Palestinian civilians killed during this period by both Israeli and Palestinian security forces, 16 percent were the victims of Palestinian security forces.''" Accusations of collaboration with Israel are used to target and kill individual Palestinians:
"''Those who are convicted have either been caught helping Israelis, spoken out against Arafat, or are involved in rival criminal gangs, and these individuals are hanged after summary trials. Arafat creates an environment where the violence continues while silencing would-be critics, and although he could make the violence impossible, he doesn't stop it.''"

[[Freedom House]]'s annual survey of political rights and civil liberties, Freedom in the World 2001–2002, reports "''Civil liberties declined due to: shooting deaths of Palestinian civilians by Palestinian security personnel; the summary trial and executions of alleged collaborators by the Palestinian Authority (PA); extrajudicial killings of suspected collaborators by militias; and the apparent official encouragement of Palestinian youth to confront Israeli soldiers, thus placing them directly in harm's way.''"<ref name="Waak2003">{{Citation |author=Waak, Erika |year=2003 |title=Violence among the Palestinians |work=Humanist |url=http://articles.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1374/is_1_63/ai_96417155 |archive-url=http://archive.wikiwix.com/cache/20110713085751/http://articles.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1374/is_1_63/ai_96417155 |url-status=dead |archive-date=13 July 2011 |access-date=19 February 2006 }}</ref>

Palestinian security forces have, as of March 2005, not made any arrests for the October 2003 killing of three American members of a diplomatic convoy in the [[Gaza Strip]]. [[Moussa Arafat]], head of the Palestinian Military Intelligence and a cousin of the former Palestinian Authority Chairman [[Yasser Arafat]] has stated that, regarding the United States pressure to arrest the killers; "They know that we are in a very critical position and that clashing with any Palestinian party under the presence of the occupation is an issue that will present many problems for us". Since the October 2003 attack, United States diplomats have been banned from entering the Gaza Strip.<ref name="Ref_s">{{Citation | title= PA: We can't arrest those behind deadly strike on U.S. convoy |work=Haaretz |location=Israel | url=https://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/480576.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041009145241/http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/480576.html | archive-date=9 October 2004 | access-date=22 August 2004 }}</ref>

====Violence against officials (2001–2004)====
On 22 April 2001, [[Jaweed al-Ghussein]], former chairman of the Palestine National Fund, was abducted from Abu Dhabi, UAE, flown to Arish, Egypt, and driven across the border to Gaza, where he was held hostage by the Palestinian Authority. The Minister of Justice, Freh Abu Mediane, protested and resigned over the illegality. [[Haider Abdel Shafi]], Chief Delegate in the Madrid Peace Process and leading Palestinian, protested at his incarceration and demanded his immediate release. The PCCR (Palestinian Commission on Citizens Rights) took the case up. The Attorney General Sorani declared there was no legality. The Red Cross was denied access to him. Amnesty International asked for his release. The United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention determined he was being held 'manifestly with no legal justification' and appointed a Special Rapporteur on torture.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://unispal.un.org/UNISPAL.NSF/0/7B874EAB39CFFE5D85256E6F004B90D3 |title=E/CN.4/2003/68/Add.1 of 27 February 2003 |publisher=United Nations |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120512113623/http://unispal.un.org/UNISPAL.NSF/0/7B874EAB39CFFE5D85256E6F004B90D3 |archive-date=12 May 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www1.umn.edu/humanrts/wgad/31-2001.html |title=University of Minnesota Human Rights Library |publisher=.umn.edu |access-date=5 January 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://services.parliament.uk/hansard/Lords/ByDate/20091110/mainchamberdebates/contents.html |title=Main Chamber Debates|publisher=Parliament of the United Kingdom|access-date=10 March 2011 }}{{dead link|date=March 2016}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

On 15 October 2003, three members of a United States diplomatic convoy were killed and additional members of the convoy wounded three kilometers south of the Erez Crossing into the Gaza Strip by a [[Palestinian terrorism|terrorist]] bomb. The perpetrators remain at large.

In February 2004, [[Ghassan Shaqawa]], the mayor of [[Nablus]], filed his resignation from office in protest of the Palestinian Authority's lack of action against the armed militias rampaging the city and the multiple attempts by some Palestinians to assassinate him. Gaza's police Chief, General Saib al-Ajez would later say: 'This internal conflict between police and militants cannot happen. It is forbidden. We are a single nation and many people know each other and it is not easy to kill someone who is bearing a weapon to defend his nation."<ref name="Johnston2005">{{Citation | title= Palestinians face crucial Gaza test |publisher=BBC | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4196495.stm | access-date=19 February 2006 | date=21 January 2005 | first=Alan | last=Johnston}}</ref>

Karen Abu Zayd, deputy commissioner-general for the [[UNRWA|UN Relief and Works Agency]] in the Gaza Strip stated on 29 February 2004: "What has begun to be more visible is the beginning of the breakdown of law and order, all the groups have their own militias, and they are very organized. It's factions trying to exercise their powers."<ref name="Ref_t">{{Citation | title=Palestinian Authority Broke and in Disarray |newspaper=The Washington Post| url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A17536-2004Feb29_2.html | access-date=19 February 2006 }}</ref>

[[Ghazi al-Jabali]], the [[Gaza Strip]] Chief of Police, since 1994 has been the target of repeated attacks by [[Palestinian people|Palestinians]]. In March 2004, his offices were targeted by gunfire. In April 2004, a bomb was detonated destroying the front of his house. On 17 July 2004, he was kidnapped at gunpoint following an [[ambush]] of his convoy and [[wound]]ing of two bodyguards. He was released several hours later.<ref name="Ref_u">{{Citation|title=Gaza police chief kidnapped, freed |work=Dawn|location=Pakistan |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/364751/gaza-police-chief-kidnapped-freed |access-date=19 February 2006 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050308231343/http://www.dawn.com/2004/07/17/int6.htm |archive-date=8 March 2005 }}</ref> Less than six hours later, Colonel Khaled Abu Aloula, director of military coordination in the southern part of Gaza was abducted.

On the eve of 17 July, Fatah movement members kidnapped 5 French citizens (3 men and 2 women) and held them hostage in [[Red crescent|Red Crescent Society]] building in [[Khan Yunis]]:
:Palestinian security officials said that the kidnapping was carried out by the Abu al-Rish Brigades, accused of being linked to Palestinian Authority Chairman [[Yasser Arafat]]'s [[Fatah]] faction.<ref name="Ref_v">{{Citation |title=4 French aid workers, Palestinian officials seized in Gaza |work=Haaretz |location=Israel |url=https://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/452469.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040716181308/http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/452469.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=16 July 2004 |access-date=17 July 2004 }}</ref>

On 18 July, Arafat replaced [[Ghazi al-Jabali]], with his nephew [[Moussa Arafat]], sparking violent riots in [[Rafah]] and [[Khan Yunis]] in which members of the [[al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades]] burned PA offices and opened fire on Palestinian policemen. During the riots, at least one Palestinian was killed and a dozen more seriously wounded.

On 20 July 2004 David Satterfield, the second-in-charge at the United States Department of State Near East desk stated in a hearing before the Senate that the Palestinian Authority had failed to arrest the [[Palestinian terrorism|Palestinian terrorists]] who had murdered three members of an American diplomatic convoy travelling in the [[Gaza Strip]] on 15 October 2003. Satterfield stated:

:"There has been no satisfactory resolution of this case. We can only conclude that there has been a political decision taken by the chairman ([[Yasser Arafat]]) to block further progress in this investigation."

On 21 July, [[Nabil Amar]], former Minister of Information and a cabinet member and a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, was shot by masked gunmen, after an interview with a television channel in which he criticized Yasser Arafat and called for reforms in the PA.<ref name="Ref_w">{{Citation|title=Israel halts funds for Palestinians, Abbas slams move |work=News. Yahoo.com |url=http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/mideast_dc |access-date=19 February 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050404011204/http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=%2Fnm%2Fmideast_dc |archive-date=4 April 2005 }}h</ref>

Regarding the descent into chaos Cabinet minister [[Qadura Fares]] stated on 21 July 2004:
:"Every one of us is responsible. Arafat is the most responsible for the failure. President Arafat failed and the Palestinian government failed, the Palestinian political factions failed."<ref name="Ref_x">{{Citation|title=AP Palestinians Parliament |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/aponline/international/AP-Palestinians-Parliament.html}}{{dead link|date=March 2016}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

On 22 July 2004, The United Nations elevated its threat warning level for the [[Gaza Strip]] to "Phase Four" (one less than the maximum "Phase Five") and planned to evacuate non-essential foreign staff from the Gaza Strip.<ref name="Ref_y">{{Cite news|title=Worldnews |work=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=5743863 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050415132218/https://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=worldNews&storyID=5743863 |archive-date=15 April 2005 }}</ref>

On 23 July 2004, an Arab boy was shot and killed by [[Palestinian terrorism|Palestinian terrorists]] of the [[Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades]] after he and his family physically opposed their attempt to set up a Qassam rocket launcher outside the family's house. Five other individuals were wounded in the incident.<ref name="Ref_z">{{Citation |title=Attempted Kassam Launch Leads to the Death of an Arab Child |publisher=IsraelNN.com |url=http://www.israelnn.com/news.php3?id=66197 |access-date=19 February 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051016045307/http://www.israelnn.com/news.php3?id=66197 |archive-date=16 October 2005 }}</ref><ref name="Berger2004">{{Citation|title=Group Says New Israeli Expansion Breaks Vow |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/23/international/middleeast/23CND-MIDE.html|access-date=19 February 2006 |first=Joseph |last=Berger |date=23 July 2004 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090417043108/http://www.nytimes.com/2004/07/23/international/middleeast/23CND-MIDE.html?hp |archive-date=17 April 2009 }}</ref><ref name="Ref_aa">{{Citation | title= Gaza youth shot dead; Arafat says PA not in crisis |work=Haaretz |location=Israel | url=https://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/455377.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040726043850/http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/455377.html | archive-date=26 July 2004 | access-date=19 February 2006 }}</ref><ref name="Ref_2004">{{Citation | title= Teen dies in Palestinian clash |publisher=BBC | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/3920181.stm | access-date=19 February 2006 | date=23 July 2004}}</ref>

On 31 July, Palestinian kidnappers in [[Nablus]] seized 3 foreign nationals, an American, British and Irish citizen. They were later released. Also, a PA security forces HQ building was burnt down in [[Jenin]] by the [[al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades]]. A leader of Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades said they torched the building because new mayor Qadorrah Moussa, appointed by Arafat, had refused to pay salaries to Al Aqsa members or to cooperate with the group.<ref name="Ref_ab">{{Citation|title=Israel halts funds for Palestinians, Abbas slams move |work=News. Yahoo.com |url=http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/mideast_dc |access-date=19 February 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050404011204/http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=%2Fnm%2Fmideast_dc |archive-date=4 April 2005 }}</ref>

On 8 August 2004 the Justice Minister Nahed Arreyes resigned stating that he has been stripped of much of his authority over the legal system. The year before, [[Yasser Arafat]] created a rival agency to the Justice Ministry and was accused of continuing to control the judiciary and in particular the state prosecutors.<ref name="Ref_ac">{{Citation | title=Palestinian minister quits to protest lack of power |work=The Washington Times |date=7 August 2004 | url=http://washingtontimes.com/world/20040807-112344-3852r.htm | access-date=19 February 2006 }}</ref>

On 10 August 2004, a report by an investigation committee Palestinian Legislative Council for the reasons for the anarchy and chaos in the PA was published by [[Haaretz]] daily newspaper.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Regular|first1=Arnon|title=Palestinian lawmakers: Arafat evading promises of reform|url=https://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/462724.html|access-date=15 September 2015|work=[[Haaretz]]|date=11 August 2004|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041011130341/http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/462724.html|archive-date=11 October 2004 }}</ref> The report put the main blame on Yasser Arafat and the PA's security forces, which "have failed to make a clear political decision to end it".
The report states,
: "The main reason for the failure of the Palestinian security forces and their lack of action in restoring law and order [......] is the total lack of a clear political decision and no definition of their roles, either for the long term or the short."
The report also calls to stop shooting [[Qassam rocket]]s and mortar shells on Israeli settlements because it hurts "Palestinian interests".
Hakham Balawi said:
:"... It is prohibited to launch rockets and to fire weapons from houses, and that is a supreme Palestinian interest that should not be violated because the result is barbaric retaliation by the occupying army and the citizenry cannot accept such shooting. Those who do it are a certain group that does not represent the people and nation, doing it without thinking about the general interest and public opinion in the world and in Israel. There is no vision or purpose to the missiles; the Palestinian interest is more important"<ref name="Ref_ad">{{Citation | title= Palestinian lawmakers: Arafat evading promises of reform |work=Haaretz |location=Israel | url=https://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/462724.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041011130341/http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/462724.html | archive-date=11 October 2004 | access-date=11 August 2004 }}</ref>

Despite the criticism against Yasser Arafat, the troubles continued. On 24 August, the Lieutenant Commander of the Palestinian General Intelligence in the [[Gaza Strip]], Tareq Abu-Rajab, was shot by group of armed men. He was seriously injured.<ref name="Ref_ae">{{Citation|title=Israel halts funds for Palestinians, Abbas slams move |work=News. Yahoo.com |url=https://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/nm/mideast_dc |access-date=19 February 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050325180925/http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=%2Fnm%2Fmideast_dc |archive-date=25 March 2005 }}</ref>

On 31 August, the [[Jenin Martyrs Brigades]], the armed wing of [[the Popular Resistance Committees]], threaten to kill Minister [[Nabil Shaath]] for participating in a conference in Italy attended by Israeli foreign minister [[Silvan Shalom]], declaring "He will be sentenced to death if he enters. The decision cannot be rescinded, we call upon his bodyguards to abandon his convoy in order to save their lives."<ref name="Ref_af">{{Citation|title=Nabil Shaath gets death threat |publisher=Al Jazeera|url=http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/52FB3D32-2E49-4481-8809-2C2B2CE2D44F.htm |access-date=19 February 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060103194922/http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/52FB3D32-2E49-4481-8809-2C2B2CE2D44F.htm |archive-date=3 January 2006 }}</ref>

On 8 September, Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei, threatens to resign, again. Three weeks have elapsed since he retracted is resignation, originally tendered six weeks ago.<ref name="Ref_ag">{{Citation | title=Egypt mediates between Arafat, Qureia |work=The Washington Times | url=http://washingtontimes.com/upi-breaking/20040909-080855-4852r.htm | archive-url=https://archive.today/20120717113709/http://washingtontimes.com/upi-breaking/20040909-080855-4852r.htm | url-status=dead | archive-date=17 July 2012 | access-date=19 February 2006 }}</ref>

On 12 October, [[Moussa Arafat]], cousin of Yasser Arafat and a top security official in the Gaza Strip, survived a [[car bomb]] assassination attempt. Recently{{when|date=February 2011}} the Popular Resistance Committees threatened Moussa Arafat with retaliation for an alleged attempt to assassinate its leader, Mohammed Nashabat.<ref name="Ref_ah">{{Citation |title=Arafat cousin survives bomb attack |work=China Daily |url=http://www2.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2004-10/13/content_382066.htm |access-date=19 February 2006 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060303054854/http://www2.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2004-10/13/content_382066.htm |archive-date=3 March 2006 }}</ref>

On 14 October, Palestinian prime minister Ahmed Qurei stated that the Palestinian Authority is unable to stop the spreading anarchy. While routinely blaming Israel for the PA's problems, he pointed out that the many PA security forces are hobbled by corruption and factional feuding. Due to the lack of governmental reforms demanded by international peace mediators, Palestinian legislators demanded Qurei present a report on the matter by 20 October, at which point they will decide upon holding a no-confidence vote.<ref name="Ref_ai">{{Citation |title=Hasen |work=Haaretz |location=Israel |url=https://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/488826.html |access-date=15 September 2015 }}{{dead link|date=May 2026|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

On 19 October, a group of [[Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades]] members, led by [[Zakaria Zubeidi]], seized buildings belonging to the Palestinian Finance ministry and Palestinian parliament in [[Jenin]].<ref name="Ref_aj">{{Citation | title= Israeli soldier killed in West Bank shooting attack |work=Haaretz |location=Israel | url=https://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/490691.html| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041021024647/http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/490691.html| archive-date=21 October 2004| access-date=20 October 2004 }}</ref>

According to [[Mosab Hassan Yousef]], the CIA has provided sophisticated electronic eavesdropping equipment to the Palestinian Authority that has been used against suspected Palestinian militants. However, the equipment has also been used against Shin Bet informants.<ref name=yousef17>{{Citation|last=Yousef|first=Mosab|title=Son of Hamas|year=2009|publisher=Tyndale Housing Publisher|page=17}}</ref>

====Palestinian measures to keep law and order====
{{further|United States security assistance to the Palestinian National Authority}}
{{further|Palestinian National Security Forces}}
In 2006, after the [[Hamas]] victory, the Palestinian interior minister formed an Executive Force for the police. However, the PA president objected and after clashes between Hamas and Fatah, redeployment of the force was made and efforts started in order to integrate it with the police force.

In 2011, [[Amira Hass]] reported that in sections of Area B of the West Bank, especially around the towns of Abu Dis and Sawahera, a security paradox was evolving: while the [[Oslo Accords]] stipulate that the Israeli Army have authority to police Area B, they weren't; and though the Palestinian security forces were prepared to deal with criminal activity in this area, they had to wait for Israeli permission to enter, and were thus ineffective. Hass also reported that as a result of this paradox, [[Abu Dis]] and surrounding areas were becoming a haven for weapons smugglers, drug dealers, and other criminals.<ref>{{cite web|last=Hass |first=Amira |url=https://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/israel-letting-chaos-rule-in-palestinian-villages-near-jerusalem-1.368453 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110620170406/http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/israel-letting-chaos-rule-in-palestinian-villages-near-jerusalem-1.368453 |url-status=dead |archive-date=20 June 2011 |title=Israel letting chaos rule in Palestinian villages near Jerusalem |work=Haaretz |location=Israel |date=4 April 2011 }}</ref>

As of 2013, Palestinian security forces continue to coordinate with Israeli troops in tracking Islamic militants in the West Bank.<ref name="Huffington">{{Cite web| url= https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/07/state-of-palestine_n_2425682.html | title= State of Palestine: Palestinians Change Name, Won't Rush To Issue New Passports | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141011202654/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/07/state-of-palestine_n_2425682.html |archive-date=11 October 2014| date = 9 March 2013| author1-first= Mohammed | author2-first= Karin| author1-last= Daraghmeh | author2-last= Laub | website= [[HuffPost]] | url-status= dead }}</ref> According to Al-Jazeera, in 2024 the Palestinian Authority was attempting to assert its limited authority by cracking down on armed groups in the [[Jenin Refugee Camp]], according to experts, in order to convince President-elect Donald Trump that it is a beneficial security partner.<ref>{{cite news |title=Palestinian Authority's raid on Jenin appeals to Israeli, Western interests |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2024/12/30/the-pa-crackdown-on-palestinians-appeals-to-israeli-western-interests |date=30 December 2024}}</ref>

===Corruption===
A poll conducted by the [[Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research]] revealed that 71% of Palestinians believe there is corruption in the Palestinian Authority institutions in the [[West Bank]], and 57% say there is corruption in the institutions of the dismissed Palestinian government in the [[Gaza Strip]]. 34% say that there is no freedom of the press in the West Bank, 21% say that there is press freedom in the West Bank, and 41% say there is to a certain extent. 29% of Palestinians say people in the West Bank can criticize the government in the West Bank without fear.<ref name=PSR>{{cite web|title=Palestinian Public Opinion Poll No. 44|url=http://www.pcpsr.org/survey/polls/2012/p44efull.html#domestic|access-date=13 July 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120714000218/http://www.pcpsr.org/survey/polls/2012/p44efull.html#domestic|archive-date=14 July 2012}}</ref><ref name=Ynet>{{cite news|last=Savir|first=Aryeh|title=Arab poll: Palestinian Authority is corrupt|url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4244044,00.html|access-date=13 July 2012|newspaper=Yedioth Ahronot|date=18 June 2012}}</ref><ref name=Congress>{{cite web|title=Testimony of Jim Zanotti, Specialist in Middle Eastern Affairs, Congressional Research Service |url=http://foreignaffairs.house.gov/112/HHRG-112-FA13-WState-ZanottiJ-20120710.pdf |work=Chronic Kleptocracy – Corruption within the Palestinian Political Establishment |access-date=13 July 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120915135516/http://foreignaffairs.house.gov/112/HHRG-112-FA13-WState-ZanottiJ-20120710.pdf |archive-date=15 September 2012 }}</ref>

At a hearing of the [[House Committee on Foreign Affairs]] in the [[United States Congress]] on 10 July 2012, titled "Chronic [[Kleptocracy]]: Corruption within the Palestinian Political Establishment," it was stated that there is serious corruption within the political establishment and in financial transactions.<ref name=Congress1>{{cite web |title=Chronic Kleptocracy: Corruption within the Palestinian Political Establishment |url=http://foreignaffairs.house.gov/hearings/view/?1454 |access-date=13 July 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120715062400/http://foreignaffairs.house.gov/hearings/view/?1454 |archive-date=15 July 2012 }}</ref> The experts, analysts, and specialists testified on corruption within financial transactions concerning [[Mahmoud Abbas]], his sons Yasser and Tareq, and the Palestine Investment Fund, among others, as well as on the limiting of freedom of the press, crushing political opposition, and cracking down on protestors. According to Representative [[Steve Chabot]], who testified at the hearing, "Reports suggest that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, like his predecessor Yassir Arafat, has used his position of power to line his own pockets as well as those of his cohort of [[cronyism|cronies]], including his sons, Yasser and Tareq. The Palestinian Investment Fund, for example, was intended to serve the interests of the Palestinian population and was supposed to be transparent, accountable, and independent of the Palestinian political leadership. Instead, it is surrounded by allegations of favoritism and [[fraud]]." Concerning Abbas' children, Chabot stated that "Even more disturbingly, Yasser and Tareq Abbas—who have amassed a great deal of wealth and economic power—have enriched themselves with U.S. taxpayer money. They have allegedly received hundreds of thousands of dollars in [[USAID]] contracts."<ref name=Congress2>{{cite web |last=Schanzer |first=Jonathan |title=Chronic Kleptocracy: Corruption Within The Palestinian Political Establishment |url=http://foreignaffairs.house.gov/112/HHRG-112-FA13-WState-SchanzerJ-20120710.pdf |publisher=House Committee on Foreign Affairs |access-date=13 July 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120813023220/http://foreignaffairs.house.gov/112/HHRG-112-FA13-WState-SchanzerJ-20120710.pdf |archive-date=13 August 2012 }}</ref><ref name=Congress3>{{cite web |last=Chabot |first=Steve |title=Chronic Kleptocracy: Corruption within the Palestinian Political Establishment |url=http://foreignaffairs.house.gov/112/HHRG-112-FA13-MState-C000266-20120710.pdf |access-date=13 July 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120915135459/http://foreignaffairs.house.gov/112/HHRG-112-FA13-MState-C000266-20120710.pdf |archive-date=15 September 2012 }}</ref>

In April 2013, the Palestinian organization Coalition for Transparency in Palestine said it was investigating 29 claims of stolen public funds. In addition, they said that the PA "has problems with money laundering, nepotism and misusing official positions." Twelve earlier claims were investigated and sent to the courts for resolution. In response, Palestinian Authority Justice Minister Ali Muhanna said that they have "made large strides in reducing corruption."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.yahoo.com/palestinian-watchdog-corruption-continues-182306963.html|title=Palestinian watchdog: corruption continues|publisher=Yahoo! News|access-date=15 January 2017|archive-date=27 April 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130427103224/https://news.yahoo.com/palestinian-watchdog-corruption-continues-182306963.html|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==Economy==
{{further|Economy of Palestine}}
The [[Gaza International Airport]] was built by the PA in the city of [[Rafah]], but operated for only a brief period before being destroyed by Israel following the outbreak of [[Al-Aqsa Intifada]] in 2000. A seaport was also being constructed in Gaza but was never completed.

Some Palestinians are dependent on access to the Israeli job market. During the 1990s, some Israeli companies began to replace Palestinians with foreign workers.{{citation needed|date=October 2022}} The process was found to be economical and also addressed security concerns. This hurt the Palestinian economy, in particular in the Gaza strip, where 45.7% of the population is under the poverty line according to the [[CIA World Factbook]], but it also affected the West Bank.

===Budget===
According to the [[World Bank]], the [[budget deficit]] in PNA was about $800 million in 2005, with nearly half of it financed by donors. The World Bank stated, "The PA's fiscal situation has become increasingly unsustainable mainly as a result of uncontrolled government consumption, in particular a rapidly increasing public sector wage bill, expanding social transfer schemes and rising net lending."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/MENAEXT/WESTBANKGAZAEXTN/0,,contentMDK:20805063~pagePK:141137~piPK:141127~theSitePK:294365,00.html |title=West Bank & Gaza – The Palestinian Economy and the PA's Fiscal Situation- Current Status as of February 1, 2006 |publisher=World Bank |date=1 February 2006 |access-date=26 November 2012 |archive-date=8 October 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081008040909/http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/MENAEXT/WESTBANKGAZAEXTN/0,,contentMDK:20805063~pagePK:141137~piPK:141127~theSitePK:294365,00.html |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In June 2011, Prime Minister [[Salam Fayyad]] stated that the Palestinian Authority is facing a financial crisis because funds pledged by donor nations have not arrived on time. Fayyad said that "In 2011, we have been receiving $52.5 million dollars a month from the [[Arab]] countries, which is much less than the amount they committed to deliver."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=392837 |title=Fayyad: Promised donor aid not arriving |agency=Ma'an News Agency |date=11 May 2011 |access-date=26 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130513210056/http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=392837 |archive-date=13 May 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In June 2012, the Palestinian Authority was unable to pay its workers' salaries as a result of their financial issues, including a cutback in aid from foreign donors, and Arab countries not fulfilling their pledges to send money to the Palestinian Authority, in which the Palestinian Authority is heavily dependent. Finance Minister Nabil Kassis called the crisis "the worst" in three years.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/03/palestinian-authority-salaries_n_1646032.html | work=HuffPost| title=Palestinian Authority Can't Pay Salaries | date=3 July 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/citing-crisis-palestinians-pay-salaries-16702998 |title=International News |publisher=ABC News|location=United States |date=21 November 2012 |access-date=26 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120703230639/https://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/citing-crisis-palestinians-pay-salaries-16702998 |archive-date=3 July 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2012/07/03/citing-crisis-palestinians-cant-pay-salaries |title=Citing crisis, Palestinians can't pay salaries – ''U.S. News & World Report'' |publisher=Usnews.com |date=3 July 2012 |access-date=26 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130511224129/http://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2012/07/03/citing-crisis-palestinians-cant-pay-salaries |archive-date=11 May 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.canada.com/business/Palestinian+Authority+delays+June+government+salaries+worst+money/6875910/story.html |title=Article |publisher=canada.com |access-date=26 November 2012 }}{{dead link|date=January 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Adding to the complications are the fact that in the same month, the head of the [[Palestine Monetary Authority]], [[Jihad Al-Wazir]], stated that the Palestinian Authority reached the maximum limit of borrowing from Palestinian banks.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=494054 |title=Monetary chief: PA bank borrowing reaches limit |agency=Ma'an News Agency |access-date=26 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130528013852/http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=494054 |archive-date=28 May 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In July 2012, Prime Minister Salam Fayyad urged Arab countries to send the money they promised, which amounts to tens of millions of dollars, as they have not made good on their pledges, while [[Western world|Western]] donors have.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://news.yahoo.com/palestinian-pm-urges-arabs-send-promised-cash-100713941.html | publisher=[[Yahoo! News]] | title=Palestinian PM urges Arabs to send promised cash | location=Ramallah | access-date=15 January 2017 | archive-date=5 March 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305135607/http://news.yahoo.com/palestinian-pm-urges-arabs-send-promised-cash-100713941.html | url-status=dead }}</ref> The Palestinian labor minister [[Ahmed Majdalani]] also warned of the consequences of a shortfall in the delivery of aid from Arab donor nations.<ref>{{cite web |author=<!--[if IE 6]> <![endif]--> |url=http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2012/07/01/223836.html |title=Palestinian authority faces 'worst funds crisis since founding': Labor minister |publisher=Al Arabiya |date=1 July 2012 |access-date=26 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120708040549/http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2012/07/01/223836.html |archive-date=8 July 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

In order to help the Palestinian Authority solve its crisis, Israel sought $1 billion in loans from the [[International Monetary Fund]], intending to transfer this loan to the Palestinian Authority who would pay them back when possible. The IMF rejected the proposal because it feared setting a [[precedent]] of making IMF money available to non-state entities, like the Palestinian Authority, which as a non-state cannot directly request or receive IMF funding.<ref>{{cite web |author=<!--[if IE 6]> <![endif]--> |url=http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2012/07/02/223967.html |title=Israel sought $1 bln IMF loan for Palestinians: report |publisher=Al Arabiya |date=2 July 2012 |access-date=26 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120929045236/http://english.alarabiya.net/articles/2012/07/02/223967.html |archive-date=29 September 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gEjiMcwlEdyaJBUcYQV58bqnwIZg?docId=CNG.5a68850480a01fb7349833bd9c847954.51 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130131114353/http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gEjiMcwlEdyaJBUcYQV58bqnwIZg?docId=CNG.5a68850480a01fb7349833bd9c847954.51 |url-status=dead |archive-date=31 January 2013 |title=AFP: Israel sought $1 billion IMF loan for Palestinians |date=2 July 2012 |access-date=26 November 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://in.reuters.com/article/palestinians-israel-imf-idINL6E8I24JH20120702 | work=Reuters| title=Israel sought bln IMF loan for Palestinians | date=2 July 2012 | access-date=6 July 2021 | archive-date=18 March 2020 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200318190519/https://in.reuters.com/article/palestinians-israel-imf-idINL6E8I24JH20120702 | url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/israel-sought-1-billion-imf-loan-for-palestinians.aspx?pageID=238&nID=24537&NewsCatID=359 |title=INTERNATIONAL – Israel sought $1 billion IMF loan for Palestinians |work=Hürriyet Daily News |date=2 July 2012 |access-date=26 November 2012}}</ref>

In mid-July 2012, it was announced that [[Saudi Arabia]] would imminently send $100 million to the Palestinian Authority to help relieve them of their financial crisis. Still, the Palestinian Authority is seeking the support of other countries to send more money to help fix a budget deficit that is approximately $1.5 billion for 2012, and it is estimated that they need approximately $500 million more. [[Ghassan Khatib]], a Palestinian Authority spokesman, said, "This $100 million is important and significant because it's coming from a leading Arab state, and this hopefully can be an example for other countries to follow... We will remain in need of external funding. Whenever it is affected, then we will be in crisis."<ref name="ReutersSaudi">{{cite news | url=http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-palestinians-saudiarabia-aid-idUKBRE86E0BF20120715 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160101105130/http://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-palestinians-saudiarabia-aid-idUKBRE86E0BF20120715 | url-status=dead | archive-date=1 January 2016 | title=Saudis to give $100 million to cash-strapped Palestinians | date=15 July 2012 | work=Reuters| access-date=15 July 2012 | author=Browning, Noah}}</ref><ref name="JPostSaudiArabia">{{cite news | url=https://www.jpost.com/MiddleEast/Article.aspx?id=277545 | title=S. Arabia to transfer $100m. to PA to avert crisis | work=The Jerusalem Post | date=15 July 2012 | access-date=15 July 2012 | author=Toameh, Khaled Abu}}</ref>

By 15 July 2012, Palestinian Authority workers received only 60% of their salaries for June, which caused discontent against the government.<ref name="JPostSaudiArabia" />

In a "goodwill gesture" to the Palestinian Authority to renew dialogue with Israel, Israeli prime minister [[Benjamin Netanyahu]] and Finance Minister [[Yuval Steinitz]] decided to give Ramallah a NIS 180 million advance on tax money it transfers on a monthly basis. The Israeli government's economic cabinet also decided to increase the number of Palestinian construction workers allowed in Israel by approximately 5,000. One Israeli official said that the money helped the Palestinian Authority pay its salaries before [[Ramadan]], and it was part of Israel's policy of helping to "preserve the Palestinian economy."<ref name="180 NIS to P.A.">{{cite web | url=https://www.jpost.com/DiplomacyAndPolitics/Article.aspx?id=278536 | title=Israel advances PA NIS 180m. to ease financial crisis | work=The Jerusalem Post | date=23 July 2012 | access-date=23 July 2012 | author=Keinon, Herb | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120723094532/http://www.jpost.com/DiplomacyAndPolitics/Article.aspx?id=278536 | archive-date=23 July 2012}}</ref>

The [[World Bank]] issued a report in July 2012 that the Palestinian economy cannot sustain statehood as long as it continues to heavily rely on foreign donations and the private sector fails to thrive. The report said that the Palestinian Authority is unlikely to reach fiscal sustainability until a peace deal is achieved that allows the private sector to experience rapid and sustained growth. The World Bank report also blamed the financial issues on the absence of a final status agreement that would allow for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Arab conflict.<ref name="World Bank financial issues">{{cite web | url=https://www.jpost.com/MiddleEast/Article.aspx?id=278897 | title=Palestinian economy cannot support state | work=The Jerusalem Post | date=25 July 2012 | access-date=25 July 2012 | author=Lazaroff, Tovah}}</ref>

As of May 2011, the Palestinian Authority spent $4.5 million per month paying Palestinian prisoners. The payments include monthly amounts such as NIS 12,000 ($3,000) to prisoners who have been imprisoned for over 30 years. The salaries, funded by the PA, are given to [[Fatah]], [[Hamas]], and [[Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine|Islamic Jihad]] prisoners, despite financial hardships by the Palestinian Authority. These payments make up 6% of the PA's budget.<ref name="Budget">{{cite web | url=http://www.timesofisrael.com/cash-strapped-pa-spends-4-5-million-per-month-compensating-security-detainees/ | title=PA spends 6% of its budget paying Palestinians in Israeli jails, families of suicide bombers | work=The Times of Israel | date=3 September 2012 | access-date=4 September 2012 | author=Ben Zion, Ilan}}</ref>

{{As of|2015|January}}, the PA has a debt of 1.8 bln NIS to the [[Israel Electric Corporation]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4620683,00.html |title=Electricity company cuts supply to the PA over NIS 1.8 billion debt |newspaper=Ynetnews |date=29 January 2015 |publisher=Yedioth Internet |access-date=29 January 2015|last1=Gutman |first1=Lior }}</ref>

In 2017, the PA received $693 million from foreign donors, of which $345 million, was paid out through the [[Palestinian Authority Martyrs Fund|Martyrs Fund]] in the form of stipends to convicted militants and their families.<ref name="LieberForiegnAid">{{cite news|last1=Lieber|first1=Dov|title=PA payments to prisoners, 'martyr' families now equal half its foreign aid|url=http://www.timesofisrael.com/pa-payments-to-prisoners-martyr-families-now-equal-half-its-foreign-aid/|access-date=31 July 2017|newspaper=The Times of Israel|date=31 July 2017}}</ref>

===International aid===
{{Main|International aid to Palestinians|United States security assistance to the Palestinian National Authority}}
{{See also|Taxation in Palestine}}

The majority of aid to the Palestinian Authority comes from the United States and the [[European Union]]. According to figures released by the PA, only 22 percent of the $530,000,000 received since the beginning of 2010 came from Arab donors. The remaining came from Western donors and organizations. The total amount of foreign aid received directly by the PA was $1.4 billion in 2009 and $1.8 billion in 2008.<ref name="Ref_ak">{{cite web|url=http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-12-08/palestinians-lure-banks-with-first-sukuk-bills-islamic-finance.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101212090617/http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-12-08/palestinians-lure-banks-with-first-sukuk-bills-islamic-finance.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=12 December 2010 |title=Palestinians Lure Banks With First Sukuk Bills: Islamic Finance |work=Bloomberg Businessweek |date=8 December 2010 }}</ref>

Palestinian leaders stated the Arab world was "continuing to ignore" repeated requests for help.<ref name="Ref_al">{{cite web|last=Abu |first=Khaled |url=https://www.jpost.com/MiddleEast/Article.aspx?id=187993 |title=Abbas's plea to Arab states: Show me the money! |work=The Jerusalem Post |date=14 September 2010 |access-date=5 January 2013}}</ref>

The US and the EU responded to Hamas' political victory by stopping direct aid to the PA, while the US imposed a financial blockade on PA's banks, impeding some of the [[Arab League]]'s funds (e.g. Saudi Arabia and Qatar) from being transferred to the PA.<ref name="LemondeA">{{Citation | url=http://www.lemonde.fr/proche-orient/article/2006/05/09/le-quartet-cherche-une-solution-a-la-banqueroute-palestinienne_769645_3218.html| date=9 May 2006 | access-date=9 May 2006 |work=Le Monde | title=Le Quartet cherche une solution à la banqueroute palestinienne|language=fr}}</ref> On 6 and 7 May 2006, hundreds of Palestinians demonstrated in Gaza and the West Bank demanding payment of their wages.

On 19 November 2007, [[James G. Lindsay]], a former [[UNRWA]] general-counsel and fellow researcher for [[The Washington Institute for Near East Policy]], published a report regarding the use of international aid in the Palestinian Authority. Lindsay argued that internationally funded construction projects in the [[West Bank]] should try to minimize foreign labor and maximize the participation of Palestinian workers and management to ensure economic expansion through salaries, job training, and improved infrastructure. Lindsay stated that some financial control should stay in international hands to avoid "nepotism or corruption".<ref name="Ref_">{{Cite web
| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20200728082309/https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/view/tony-blair-takes-on-west-bank-aid
| archive-date = 28 July 2020
| last = Lindsay | first = James G.
| title= Tony Blair Takes on West Bank Aid 
| date = 19 November 2007
| series = Policywatch 1307
| url=https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/tony-blair-takes-west-bank-aid
|website=The Washington Institute for Near East Policy
}}</ref> Lindsay has also argued that in any peace settlement acceptable to Israel "there will be few, if any, Palestinian refugees returning to Israel proper".<ref name="Ref_" />
Lindsay suggested that internationally funded construction projects should try to benefit West Bank refugees who are willing to give up their longstanding demand for a "[[right of return]]". Lindsay also claimed that projects that will improve the living conditions of West Bank refugees could also be seen as part of the reparations or damages to be paid to refugees in any likely Israeli-Palestinian agreement. Lindsay criticized the Palestinian Authority treatment of these refugees:
<blockquote>PA projects are not likely to address refugee needs, however, since the PA has traditionally deferred to the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) regarding infrastructure in refugee camps.<ref name="Ref_" /></blockquote>

In 2013, there are 150,000 government employees. Income to run the government to serve about 4 million citizens, comes from donations from other countries.<ref>{{Cite news | title=Palestine leader warns of cash crisis | url=https://news.yahoo.com/ap-interview-palestinian-pm-warns-cash-crisis-192032134.html | newspaper=Florida Today | location=Melbourne, Florida | pages=4A | date=7 January 2013 | access-date=15 January 2017 | archive-date=1 January 2016 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160101105129/http://news.yahoo.com/ap-interview-palestinian-pm-warns-cash-crisis-192032134.html | url-status=dead }}</ref><!---the soft copy article is more extensive than the hard copy one, but this summary is taken from the hard copy--->

In 2020, Swedish foreign aid minister [[Peter Eriksson (politician)|Peter Eriksson]] ([[Green Party (Sweden)|Green Party]]) announced a 1.5 billion SEK support package (about 150 million euro) to the Palestine Authority in 2020–2024. This announcement came after several other countries had reduced aid due to indicators of corruption and that funds go towards the salaries of militants.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Nytt palestinskt miljardbistånd: "Upprörande"|url=https://www.varldenidag.se/nyheter/nytt-palestinskt-miljardbistand-upprorande/reptfo!dOT07yEKDdqJpuMm8WVW@w/|access-date=4 July 2020|website=varldenidag.se|language=sv}}</ref>

====Economic sanctions following January 2006 legislative elections====
{{main|2006–2007 economic sanctions against the Palestinian National Authority}}
Following the [[2006 Palestinian legislative election|January 2006 legislative elections]], won by [[Hamas]], the [[Quartet on the Middle East|Quartet]] (the United States, Russia, the European Union, and the United Nations) threatened to cut funds to the Palestinian Authority. On 2 February 2006, according to the [[Agence France Presse|AFP]], the PA accused Israel of "practicing collective punishment after it snubbed the US calls to unblock funds owed to the Palestinians." Prime minister [[Ahmed Qorei]] "said he was hopeful of finding alternative funding to meet the budget shortfall of around 50 million dollars, needed to pay the wages of public sector workers, and which should have been handed over by Israel on the first of the month." The US Department criticized Israel for refusing to quickly unblock the funds. The funds were later unblocked.<ref name="Ref_2006c">{{cite news | title=Palestinian fury at Israeli refusal to unblock funds | agency=Agence France-Presse | date=3 February 2006 | url=http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle.asp?xfile=data%2Fbusiness%2F2006%2FFebruary%2Fbusiness_February58.xml%C2%A7ion%3Dbusiness&col= | access-date=29 October 2021 | archive-date=11 May 2013 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130511142417/http://www.khaleejtimes.com/DisplayArticle.asp?xfile=data%2Fbusiness%2F2006%2FFebruary%2Fbusiness_February58.xml%C2%A7ion%3Dbusiness&col= | url-status=dead }}</ref> However, ''The New York Times'' alleged on 14 February 2006 that a "destabilization plan" of the United States and Israel, aimed against [[Hamas]], winner of the January 2006 legislative elections, centered "largely on money" and cutting all funds to the PA once Hamas takes power, in order to delegitimize it in the eyes of the Palestinians. According to the news article, "The Palestinian Authority has a monthly cash deficit of some $60 million to $70 million after it receives between $50 million and $55 million a month from Israel in taxes and customs duties collected by Israeli officials at the borders but owed to the Palestinians." Beginning March 2006, "the Palestinian Authority will face a cash deficit of at least $110 million a month, or more than $1 billion a year, which it needs to pay full salaries to its 140,000 employees, who are the breadwinners for at least one-third of the Palestinian population. The employment figure includes some 58,000 members of the security forces, most of which are affiliated with the defeated [[Fatah]] movement." Since 25 January elections, "the Palestinian stock market has already fallen about 20 percent", while the "Authority has exhausted its borrowing capacity with local banks."<ref name="Erlanger2006">{{Citation | title=U.S. and Israelis Are Said to Talk of Hamas Ouster |work=The New York Times |date=14 February 2006 | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2006/02/14/international/middleeast/14mideast.html?ei=5094&en=d28cff5caa1702fa&hp=&ex=1139979600&partner=homepage&pagewanted=print | first=Steven | last=Erlanger | access-date=21 May 2010}}</ref>

====Use of European Union assistance====
In February 2004, it was reported that the [[European Union]] (EU) anti-fraud office ([[OLAF]]) was studying documents suggesting that [[Yasser Arafat]] and the Palestinian Authority had diverted tens of millions of dollars in EU funds to organizations involved in terrorist attacks, such as the [[Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades]]. However, in August 2004, a provisional assessment stated that "To date, there is no evidence that funds from the non-targeted EU Direct Budget Assistance to the Palestinian Authority have been used to finance illegal activities, including terrorism."<ref name="Olaf2004">{{cite press release|publisher=OLAF |date=10 August 2004 |title=OLAF Investigation into EU Budget Assistance for the Palestinian Authority |url=http://europa.eu.int/comm/anti_fraud/press_room/pr/2004/15_en.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041010181148/http://europa.eu.int/comm/anti_fraud/press_room/pr/2004/15_en.html |archive-date=10 October 2004 }}</ref>

====United States foreign aid packages====
The [[United States House Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs|US House Appropriations Subcommittee on State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs]] announced a foreign assistance package to the Palestinian Authority that included provisions that would bar the government from receiving aid if it seeks statehood at the UN or includes Hamas in a unity government. The bill would provide $513 million for the Palestinian Authority.<ref>{{cite web |last=Leila |first=Hilary |url=https://www.jpost.com/DiplomacyAndPolitics/Article.aspx?id=231160 |title=US foreign aid package may put conditions on PA funding |work=The Jerusalem Post |date=27 July 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110802144737/http://www.jpost.com/DiplomacyAndPolitics/Article.aspx?id=231160 |archive-date=2 August 2011}}</ref>

====Payments to Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons====
On 22 July 2004, Salam Fayyad, PA Minister of Finance, in an article in the Palestinian weekly, ''The Jerusalem Times'', detailed the following payments to Palestinians imprisoned by the Israeli authorities:<ref name="Ref_av">{{Citation | title=A settlement for the prisoners | work=Jerusalem-Times.net | url=http://www.jerusalem-times.net/article/news/details/detail.asp?id=449&edition=539 | access-date=19 February 2006 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060114065416/http://www.jerusalem-times.net/article/news/details/detail.asp?id=449&edition=539 | archive-date=14 January 2006 | url-status=dead }} Subscription only.</ref>

# Prisoner allowances increased between June 2002 and June 2004 to $9.6M USD monthly, an increase of 246 percent compared with January 1995 – June 2002.
# Between June 2002 and June 2004, 77M NIS were delivered to Palestinians held in Israeli prisons, compared to 121M NIS between January 1995 and June 2002, which is an increase of 16M NIS yearly. The increase of annual spending between the two periods registers 450 percent, which is much higher than the percentage increase of the number of prisoners.
# Between 2002 and 2004, the PA paid 22M NIS to cover other expenses – lawyers' fees, fines, and allocations for released prisoners. This includes lawyers' fees paid directly by the PA and fees paid through the Prisoners Club.

In February 2011, The Jerusalem Post revealed that the PA was paying monthly salaries to members of Hamas who are in Israeli prisons.<ref>{{Cite news|title=PA paying salaries to Hamas men in Israel's prisons|work=The Jerusalem Post |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110210035942/http://www.jpost.com/MiddleEast/Article.aspx?id=207540 |archive-date=10 February 2011 | date= 9 February 2011| first=Khaled | last=Abu Toameh|url=https://www.jpost.com/MiddleEast/Article.aspx?id=207540|access-date=20 February 2023}}</ref>

In March 2009, an extra 800 shekels ($190) was added to the stipends given to Palestinians affiliated with PLO factions in Israeli prisons, as confirmed by the head of Palestinian Prisoner Society in Nablus Ra'ed Amer. Each PLO-affiliated prisoner receives 1,000 shekels ($238) per month, an extra 300 shekels ($71) if they are married, and an extra 50 shekels ($12) for each child.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=208966 |title=Extra 800 shekels added to PLO prisoner payments following Abbas' order |agency=Ma'an News Agency |access-date=26 November 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130528000532/http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=208966 |archive-date=28 May 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In 2016, the [[United Kingdom]] had a domestic debate about how its aid to the PA ended up funding prisoners incarcerated in Israel.<ref name="tdt_13June2016">{{cite news|title=UK aid 'indirectly spent on Palestinian terror groups' former Cabinet minister warns|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/06/13/uk-aid-indirectly-spent-on-palestinian-terror-groups-former-cabi/|access-date=2 November 2016|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|location=London|date=13 June 2016}}</ref> In October 2016 a sum of £25 million, constituting a third of its aid payments, was withheld pending the results of an investigation.{{citation needed|date=December 2019}}

==See also==
{{Portal|Palestine}}
* [[Palestine Liberation Army]]
* [[History of the State of Palestine]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==Bibliography==
{{refbegin}}
* {{Cite book |last1=Brown |first1=Nathan J. |title=Palestinian politics after the Oslo accords: resuming Arab Palestine|publisher=University of California Press|year=2003|isbn=978-0-520-24115-2|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YkstKjWgdqkC&q=%22sole%20legitimate%20representative%22%20PLO%20PNA&pg=PA49}}
* {{Cite book |author={{Text|Europa Publications}} |author-mask=[Europa Publications] |title=The Middle East and North Africa 2003|edition=49th, illustrated |publisher=Europa Publications |year=2003|isbn=978-1-85743-132-2|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4CfBKvsiWeQC&q=%22palestinian+national+authority%22+proxy+police+Israel&pg=PA521}}
* Forbes, Andrew, and Henley, David, ''People of Palestine'' (Chiang Mai: Cognoscenti Books, 2012), ASIN: B0094TU8VY
* {{Cite book |last1=Hirschberger |first1=Bernd |title=External Communication in Social Media During Asymmetric Conflicts: A Theoretical Model and Empirical Case Study of the Conflict in Israel and Palestine |date=2021 |publisher=transcript Verlag |location=Bielefeld, GErmany |isbn=978-3-8394-5509-8 |url=https://www.transcript-verlag.de/978-3-8376-5509-4/external-communication-in-social-media-during-asymmetric-conflicts/?number=978-3-8394-5509-8 |access-date=11 October 2021}}
* {{Cite journal | last = Peteet | first = Julie  | date =Winter 2016 | title = The Work of Comparison: Israel/Palestine and Apartheid | journal = Anthropological Quarterly  | volume = 89 | issue = 1 | pages = 247–281 | doi = 10.1353/anq.2016.0015 | s2cid = 147128703 |issn=0003-5491 }}
* {{Cite book |last=Rothstein |first=Robert L. |title=After the peace: resistance and reconciliation |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gwKqGbuZu5kC&q=palestinian+diaspora+elections+PNA&pg=PA63 |edition=Illustrated|publisher=Lynne Rienner Publishers|year=1999|isbn=978-1-55587-828-3}}
* {{Cite book |last=Thrall |first=Nathan | date=2017 | title=The Only Language They Understand: Forcing Compromise in Israel and Palestine | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1oXZDAAAQBAJ&pg=PA144 | publisher=Henry Holt and Company | isbn=978-1-62779-710-8 | pages=144–}}
* {{Cite book |last=Watson |first=Geoffrey R. |title=The Oslo Accords: International Law and the Israeli-Palestinian Peace Agreements |edition=Illustrated|publisher=Oxford University Press|year=2000|isbn=978-0-19-829891-5}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
===Government===
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20030811082848/http://www.sis.gov.ps/english/index.html State Information Service] (archived 11 August 2003)
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20071011030018/http://mop.gov.ps/ Ministry of Planning] (archived 11 October 2007)
* [https://archive.today/20090408032711/http://www.minfo.ps/English/index.php?pagess=home Ministry of Information] (archived 8 April 2009)
* [http://www.moehe.gov.ps/ Ministry of Education and Higher Education]. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151031074554/http://www.moehe.gov.ps/ |date=31 October 2015 }} {{in lang|ar}}.
* {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/*/http://www.moehe.gov.ps/ENG/index.html |date=* }}
* [https://web.archive.org/*/www.mol.gov.ps/english/index.html Ministry of Labor] (archived)
* [http://www.pal-plc.org/ The Palestinian Legislative Council] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303202608/http://www.pal-plc.org/ |date=3 March 2016 }} {{in lang|ar}}
* [http://www.mne.gov.ps/DesktopDefault.aspx?lng=1 Ministry of the National Economy] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151018041523/http://www.mne.gov.ps/DesktopDefault.aspx?lng=1 |date=18 October 2015 }}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20200203072728/http://www.nad-plo.org/ Negotiations Affairs Department] (archived 3 February 2020)
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20071211215011/http://www.pecdar.org/ PECDAR – Palestinian Economic Council for Development and Reconstruction] (archived 11 December 2007)

{{Palestine topics}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Palestinian National Authority| ]]
[[Category:History of the Gaza Strip]]
[[Category:History of the West Bank]]
[[Category:States and territories established in 1994]]
[[Category:1994 establishments in Palestine]]