Palestinian Authority in danger of imminent collapse, Shin Bet chief warns Netanyahu

The Shin Bet and other organizations are concerned about the escalation of the security situation in the West Bank in the backdrop of the establishment of Netanyahu's emerging government.

 Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas attends a session of the Arab League summit, Algeria November 2, 2022. (photo credit: Algerian Presidency /Handout via REUTERS)
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas attends a session of the Arab League summit, Algeria November 2, 2022.
(photo credit: Algerian Presidency /Handout via REUTERS)

Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar warned about the danger of an imminent collapse of the Palestinian Authority and further deterioration of the security situation in the West Bank as a result during a meeting with prime minister-designate Benjamin Netanyahu last week, according to Walla.

The Shin Bet and other organizations in the security system are concerned about the escalation of the security situation in the West Bank in the backdrop of the establishment of Netanyahu's emerging government.

Security bodies point to the growth of organizations such as the "Lion's Den," which are composed of young people who are not affiliated with any other organization, who do not remember the second intifada and its consequences, and who have easy access to weapons and targets in the West Bank.

This phenomenon, together with the disintegration of the Palestinian Authority and its loss of control over large parts of the West Bank, creates a concern for a significant security deterioration in the West Bank, the likes of which has not been seen in about two decades.

Knesset members Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, who are expected to be senior members of the political-security cabinet, support the intensifying of the scope of IDF's activities in the West Bank, changing conditions for opening fire and increasing measures used against the Palestinian Authority.

Netanyahu meets with Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar

The meeting between Netanyahu and Bar last week was conducted in a good spirits and included a comprehensive briefing on the situation in the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and other issues under the authority of the Shin Bet such as terrorist threats from Iran, according to the report.

Another issue that came up in the meeting concerned the security arrangements for Netanyahu and his family as well as his home on Gaza Street in Jerusalem, where he will live as long as the renovations continue on the official residence on Balfour Street.