The Palestinian Authority plays a complex and contradictory role in the Palestinian political and field arena, finding itself caught between the demands of political continuity and its commitments to the Israeli occupation on one hand and popular anger and escalating resistance on the other.

This contradiction is clearly evident in its security policies, which are increasingly accused of suppressing Palestinian resistance, particularly in the West Bank.

Since the signing of the Oslo Accords, the Palestinian Authority, headed by Yasser Arafat, has committed to security coordination with the Israeli occupation, a coordination described by its president, Mahmoud Abbas, as "sacred."

This cooperation includes the exchange of intelligence and assistance in pursuing wanted members of resistance factions, often making the Authority appear to be playing the role of a policeman maintaining the security of the occupation rather than protecting its own people.

This policy has been evident in the practices of the Palestinian security services, which have carried out targeted arrests of resistance fighters and members of armed factions, particularly those from the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the Al-Quds Brigades, and the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades. Some of these operations have even taken place inside hospitals and medical centers, as recently happened at Al-Razi Hospital in Jenin.

These practices have not been limited to arrests. They have extended to suppressing popular demonstrations protesting security coordination or rejecting Israeli policies. The PA has long been widely criticized for its use of violence against demonstrators, as in the assassination of activist Nizar Banat, which sparked widespread public outrage.

This security approach contradicts the image the PA seeks to project as a defender of Palestinian rights as a large segment of Palestinians now view the practices of the security services as an extension of the iron fist of the occupation.

In addition, the PA has halted or significantly reduced the salaries of prisoners, martyrs, and the wounded under Israeli and American pressure, further fueling popular anger against it. This step is seen as an abandonment of one of the national constants that has long been considered a fundamental part of the Palestinian struggle.

This decision has exacerbated the crisis between the Palestinian Authority and the people, especially since these allowances were a primary source of income for the families of freedom fighters who sacrificed their lives or were imprisoned for the Palestinian cause.

The Palestinian Authority's motives for adopting this policy are multiple. On the one hand, its political and economic survival depends on international support, which is conditional on the Palestinian Authority maintaining stability and preventing an escalation of the confrontation with the occupation.

On the other hand, the Palestinian Authority fears the growing influence of armed factions in the West Bank, which could threaten its existence, as happened in the Gaza Strip in 2007 when Hamas took control of the Strip after bloody clashes.

This complex situation presents the Palestinian Authority with a major challenge, as it finds itself forced to continue its policy of balancing between the occupation and the people, even though this policy increases its popular isolation and deepens the gap between it and the Palestinian street.

As armed confrontations escalate in the West Bank, particularly in Jenin and Nablus, the Palestinian Authority appears to be gradually losing control, raising questions about its future and role in an environment heading toward unprecedented escalation.

Ahmad Channaa is a Palestinian-born schoolteacher, author, and political cartoonist who lives in Berlin, Germany.

This article was translated from Arabic to English by Mahmoud El-Yousseph.