The PA's security forces still control the area, but the mood on the Palestinian street is one of security chaos in the West Bank and especially in the city of Hebron, which has about 200,000 residents.
In order to combat the phenomenon, the PA announced an operation against arms dealers in the West Bank and the collection of illegal weapons. As part of the operation, the Palestinian security forces operated in the Hebron and Nablus areas last week, but were attacked with stones and Molotov cocktails.
According to PA data, from the beginning of the year until today, there have been 26 murders against the background of clashes between clans.
In Hebron, incidents of mutual firefighting between the conflicting clans of Alawiwi and Al-Jabri continue, as well as incidents of arson, houses, shops and property.
The PA has completely lost control of the security situation in the city and according to sources in Hebron, some dignitaries from the city even asked King Abdullah of Jordan to send military forces to the city to restore order, which is impractical but reflects their strong hatred of the PA and its leader, Hebron.
The PA has failed in all its mediation efforts and tensions in the city of Hebron have not abated, the two clans are continuing with mutual attacks and acts of vandalism that could lead to further bloodshed even though a calm agreement has been reached in the past for a year.
Fatah activists in Hebron threatened at the time to set up checkpoints and prevent the PA security forces from entering the city because of their inability to deal with Hebron's problems.
Palestinian Prime Minister Muhammad a-Shtiya was forced to visit Hebron last September, he met with Palestinian security chiefs and senior dignitaries, then the Palestinian government held a meeting and approved a $30 million package of new projects for the city and increasing the number of Hebron security personnel. None of these measures helped dispel the tension between the two rival clans.
This is the great security challenge of the PA and its leader, to maintain security peace in the West Bank despite the severe economic crisis.
The United States is also closely monitoring the functioning of the PA's $30 million-a-year US-backed security forces, and the Biden administration wants to make sure that they "deliver the goods".
The PA's new security activities also have implications for the battle for succession at the top of Fatah. What will happen on the ground after he dies?
Therefore, the United States demands that PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, who celebrated his 86th birthday last week, appoint a deputy and establish a mechanism to select his successor, so far Abbas has rejected all American demands, to his associates he says: "Our family genes are good, we live until the age of one hundred."