Shabak warns: Signs of chaos in the West Bank and rapid disintegration of the Palestinian Authority

The Israeli Security Agency "Shabak" warned, during closed meetings recently held with the political leadership in Tel Aviv, of the dangers of escalating situations in the West Bank, indicating the presence of serious signs that warn of an imminent disintegration of the Palestinian Authority, amid a suffocating economic crisis affecting the Palestinian areas.

According to what was reported by Israeli Channel 12 yesterday, Thursday, September 4, senior officials in Shabak expressed deep concern over the deteriorating living conditions in the West Bank, where unemployment rates are rising rapidly, and salaries of security personnel are delayed, while the ability of the Palestinian Authority institutions to provide basic services is eroding.

Security estimates confirmed that this deterioration could lead to an actual collapse of the Palestinian Authority, which could result in widespread chaos and an explosion of the security situation, posing a direct threat to Israel by opening a new front on its eastern borders.

The report revealed that Shabak recommended the Israeli government take urgent steps to prevent the collapse of the Authority, including the resumption of transferring tax revenues that were previously frozen by a decision of the Israeli cabinet, which are funds considered the financial lifeline for the Palestinian Authority.

However, these recommendations face strong rejection from Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, who leads a hardline trend within the government and is accused of working to accelerate the economic collapse of the Authority to facilitate the gradual annexation of the West Bank to Israel.

In a related context, a video report indicated that the Israeli Finance Minister is pursuing a systematic policy aimed at suffocating the Palestinian economy, in a move that exacerbates the crisis and threatens regional stability, at a time when international calls to resume transferring tax revenues to the Palestinian Authority are increasing.

These developments reflect the state of tension and concern within the Israeli security establishment over the possibility of losing control over the West Bank, in the event of the Authority's collapse, which could plunge the region into a new wave of violence that is difficult to contain.