Lamia Tadjine explains how the the Palestinian Authority collaborates with Israel and US imperialism to crush Palestinian resistance.
The Palestinian Authority (PA) is portrayed by liberal media as Palestine’s only respectable political body that can represent the interests of Palestinians at an international level. The idea is often put forward that other Palestinian organisations could never be legitimate negotiating partners with the imperial powers that have a hand to play at securing peace in the region. The PA represents the “model Arab”: passive, well dressed and unwilling to disturb the imperial status quo. Recently however, we have seen the PA’s mask of politeness and decency slip. Their intentions and priorities, while clear to Palestinians, international solidarity movements, and leftists for decades, have now been uncovered for the world to see.
Who is the Palestinian Authority?
While the overt forms of colonialism and imperialism that affect Palestinians are often discussed, it’s also important to be aware of how the Palestinian Authority (PA), governed by Fatah, has exacerbated the oppression of Palestinians. The PA plays a pivotal role in supporting the imperial order and should be openly criticised for their collusion with Israel and the US.
As is often the case with colonised or formerly colonised countries, there is a contradictory relationship between the new ruling class of the post-colonial nation and its former oppressors. Natives of the post-colonial state, in their readiness to adapt to the existing world order, often repeat the oppressive actions of the former colonial and imperial regimes. A native bourgeois class emerges that identifies itself with the opulent trappings of capitalism and the western bourgeoisie over stability and equality for its people. They seek only to protect their immediate interests, always at the expense of the total freedom that was fought for.
This occurs where colonialism has demolished any pre-existing political structures, which leaves room for corruption and a continuation of the dynamic of western imperialism. This phenomenon where a corrupt, political elite is established is evident in Palestine as Abbas and the Palestinian Authority have continuously and openly sold out the Palestinian cause for their personal gain.
History of the Palestinian Authority:
Although Fatah today is deeply enmeshed with the Zionist entity, this was not always the case. Under Fatah leadership, the PLO began to fight occupation through armed resistance, inspiring other groups within the PLO to do the same. PLO guerilla raids into Israel from neighboring Arab states were common, and wholeheartedly supported within Palestine and throughout the region. As armed resistance increased, so did instability. As public opinion began to sour – particularly after the taking of hostages at the 1972 Munich games – Fatah conceded to international pressure and began to work towards peace through existing diplomatic channels. As the largest group in the PLO, Fatah also persuaded other groups in the PLO such as the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP) away from armed resistance. Over time, the PLO’s stance on Israel changed from considering the partition of Palestine and the creation of Israel illegal, to accepting a two-state solution with the Oslo accords. Over time, the betrayal of the Palestinian cause evolved further to outright collaboration with Israel.
Today, the PA, governed by Fatah, is the main subcontractor and collaborator for the Israeli occupation, protecting illegal settlers in the West Bank and protecting Israeli interests in PA-governed areas. In exchange, the PA receives billions of dollars from Western powers such as the US and from Palestinian taxes collected on its behalf by Israel. With the existence of the PA, a repressive ruling class has emerged and this regime enjoys strong support from Israel and western donors.
The PA’s interests as a ruling class in the West Bank explains why we’ve seen them largely ignore and fail to act on behalf of the majority of Palestinians. There is readily available evidence of the abuse of power by the PA against Palestinians. For example, the PA’s ban of Al-Jazeera and raid of its head offices in Ramallah just months after the news network was banned in Israel speaks volumes about their collusion with the Zionist project. Pictures and videos of armed PA security officers raiding Jenin – an area of the West Bank that is diverse in its political affiliations – have been circulated on Instagram and Twitter. Since December, the PA has descended on Jenin, cutting off water and electricity to most of the inhabitants and raiding dissidents, killing unarmed civilians and even a journalist.
A significant example of how the PA manages dissent is the murder of longtime activist Nizar Banat in 2021. Banat was a persistent and outspoken activist, whose videos and social media posts exposed Abbas and the PA. His cousin spoke of how 25 PA security personnel raided Banat’s house, pepper-sprayed him while in bed and “began beating him with iron bars and wooden batons.” After stripping him naked, they dragged him into a vehicle. An hour and a half later, his family found out he was dead. The PA said his death was from natural causes, but according to an autopsy commissioned by his family, the activist died after suffering 42 injuries inflicted with metal pipes. Banat was a popular man throughout Palestine, a candidate for the Freedom and Dignity Party which formed to contest the corruption of the PA and the cancellation of the 2021 elections. Furthermore, when Palestinians went out to peacefully protest the killing of Banat, they were met with brutal violence from authority officers.
In addition to repressing dissidents, the PA is opposed to any form of class struggle and has had a role in weakening the trade union movement in Palestine. The Oslo Accords require that Israel transfer duties and tax receipts to the PA, but it periodically refuses. As a result, the PA often does not have the funds to pay its 130,000 employees. In October 2024, it was reported that teachers in the West Bank had not received their salaries for a year due to the withholding of tax funds by the Israeli Government. Teachers in Palestine went on strike, protesting the economic crisis caused by Israeli policies and PA corruption. Far from laying the blame at the feet of Israel and standing with its workers, supporters of the PA criticized this and other strikes of PA employees. The PA responded by mass dismissal threats and arrests of anyone participating in the strike.
Towards a Socialist Solution
It’s easy to condemn the PA from outside of Palestine where we don’t have to confront the political reality of the PA’s rule and the violent methods they use to maintain power. Nevertheless, understanding the politics of the PA is vital to strengthening anti-imperialism and Palestinian resistance. The PA’s function as an agent of imperialism forms a huge obstacle undermining resistance to the Zionist occupation. Since the first Oslo Accords (1993) provided for an interim Palestinian Authority, Palestinian self-determination was effectively off the cards. It is often said that Oslo and the PA’s role is better than nothing and the phrase “PA representation is better than no representation”. But this framework, which sets in stone the division of historic Palestine and structurally enables an apartheid regime, has consistently failed Palestinians and added to their oppression. Whether this Authority’s days are numbered or not depends on whether the Palestinian people prove that their collective will is stronger than the PA. Historical experience has taught us that the Palestinian people will eventually prevail. But, ultimately, winning a free Palestine and dismantling the apartheid Zionist state depends on mass social upheavals in surrounding counties currently run by Israel- compliant elites. Israel cannot be beaten by military force alone. It requires a social force which challenges western imperialism and which can force the Zionist regime out and establish a multi-ethnic state, based on historic Palestine with democratic rights for all and the right of return for all Palestinian refugees.
