International Community Urges Restraint in West Bank Violence

The Palestinian Authority is facing pressure from Israel, the US, and other parties to take tough measures against armed groups and gunmen in the northern West Bank. However, the PA is also facing pressure and threats from many Palestinians to end the security coordination between the Palestinian security forces and the Israeli authorities in the West Bank. The PA believes that the Iranian-backed Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) is behind the recent shooting attacks targeting security officers. The PA security forces have been putting heavy pressure on some of the armed groups and gunmen to lay down their weapons, and have arrested several gunmen and confiscated 13 rifles in the past five months. However, Palestinian sources pointed out that many of those arrested by the PA security forces are political activists, not members of armed groups.