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5 The Palestinian System:
Weakened and Close to Escalation
Udi Dekel, Noa Shusterman, and Anat Kurz
REUTERS / Mohamad Torokman Recommendations
Snapshot Adopt the INSS plan for the Palestinian arena
• Take initial separation steps and strengthen
Growing challenges to the divided Palestinian the PA • Obtain Egyptian assistance to stabilize
system • Anticipating the day after Abbas the Gaza Strip • Build mechanisms to prevent
and the Trump plan • Dangers of escalation Palestinian military buildup
in Gaza sharpen the urgent need to attain an
arrangement with Hamas
A Divided System
The Palestinian system is divided into two sub-systems – the Palestinian Authority (PA), which rules the West Bank,
and Hamas, which rules the Gaza Strip. Even though the idea of intra-Palestinian reconciliation has been on the
table for a long time and enjoys broad public support, it is unlikely that it will materialize as long as Mahmoud Abbas
remains President of the Palestinian Authority. Abbas consistently demands the dismantlement of Hamas’s military
wing and realization of the vision of “one authority, one law, one weapon.” Hamas vehemently opposes this demand.
The two Palestinian leaderships compete with one another, have difficulty consolidating their legitimacy in the
territory under their respective control, and are preoccupied with urgent issues. Hamas takes initiative and is creative,
and pursues active “resistance” against Israel – popular and military – while attempting to avoid escalation leading
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